January 26-28, 2018 at the Lansing Center in Lansing, MI 

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LEARN from leading speakers. DISCOVER new ways of practicing. ENGAGE with colleagues and content leaders to share new ideas. EXPLORE key concepts to implement back at the office. REJUVENATE your creativity!

Join us at the MVC where we’ll have:

• 146 hours of CE in nearly every area of veterinary medicine plus 2 hands-on wet labs,
• Over 100 vendors who want to meet you in our Veterinary Solutions Marketplace, plus exciting raffle prizes available at each break,
  
• Free lunches, receptions and other refreshments,
  
• Onsite yoga and wellness activities to keep you balanced and recharged,
• And much, much more!
  

Earn up to 15 hours of CE by attending the full MVC, not to mention networking with professionals in your field, reconnecting with old classmates and colleagues, and discovering the latest and greatest in veterinary medicine.

Find out what you can expect when you join us at the MVC by visiting the MVC website!

Don't miss the early bird discount - Register today for the MVC!

SESSIONS START JANUARY 2018

Designed to cultivate leadership, communication, and business skills with real-world learning experiences, MVMA's POTL Academy will give participants the information they need to explore who they are in both their community and profession. 

Beginning in January 2018, the 2018 Power of Ten Leadership Academy will provide ten fairly recent graduates with an opportunity to meet industry experts during four one-day and one two-day overnight session. Dates are as follows:

Session 1: January 27-28, 2018 during the Michigan Veterinary Conference
Session 2: Wednesday, May 9, 2018 at the MVMA Office in Okemos
Session 3: Tuesday, September 18, 2018 at the State Capitol, Downtown Lansing
Session 4: Monday, November 19, 2018 during MVMA's Animal Welfare Conference

Participants will receive full tuition scholarships to the program; meals and hotel accomodations (during the first session) are also provided free of charge.

Apply now - space is limited!

Generously Sponsored by

By now you know that the Michigan Animal Health Foundation has a Companion Animal Fund that subsidizes non-elective treatment to a select group of pet owners who have inadequate finances for necessary treatments. MVMA member hospitals are eligible to receive up to $500 per client and a total of up to $500 per clinic annually.

Companion Animal Fund Month, held in October, is the foundation’s biggest fundraising event. Throughout the month-long campaign, we are asking veterinary clinics across Michigan to collect money and hold special events and fundraisers in honor of people, pets and the Companion Animal Fund.

To help veterinary clinics make the most of their campaigns, we would like to send you a free fundraising kit to help encourage donations. The kits will include posters, brochures, instructions and ideas, and post-it paw prints on which you can write donor names to post on a wall.

Companion Animal Fund Month is a time for you to get involved in raising money to help clients and their animals. It’s an easy and fun experience for your whole team! It can be as simple as offering an opportunity for clients to donate or as involved as hosting your own charity event like a dog walk, open house, BBQ, family event, etc.

The 3 clinics raising the most funds during the month of October will each receive 1 free registration to the Michigan Veterinary Conference (a $355+ value).

If you’d like to receive a kit, please email your name, practice name, mailing address, phone and email address to mvma@michvma.org. 

On March 15, 2016, Governor Snyder signed Public Acts 47 and 49 into law requiring continuing medical education (CME) for veterinarians and veterinary technicians. Beginning in 2020, an applicant for a veterinarian license renewal who held a license for the 3-year period immediately preceding the expiration date of the license shall have earned, within the 3-year period immediately preceding the date of the application, 45 hours of approved continuing education. Veterinary technicians will need 15 hours during the same 3-year period.

The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) and the Michigan Board of Veterinary Medicine have drafted new Administrative Rules for veterinarians and veterinary technicians. The new rules specify the details on what is required for Continuing Medical Education (CME) in Michigan. MVMA is contacting you to make you aware of a public comment period that will be occurring on the new rules on Friday, September 29, 2017 from 9:00-11:00am in the G. Mennen Williams Building Auditorium at 525 W. Ottawa St. in Lansing, Michigan. If you would like changes in the newly drafted Administrative Rules, this is your chance to voice your concerns.

The proposed revised rules for veterinarians can be found here.
The proposed revised rules for veterinary technicians can be found here.

Please note that Rule 33(1) D and E of the Veterinary Medicine rules require at least 1 hour of CME related to medical records and 1 hour related to veterinary law and/or federal or state controlled substance laws.  MVMA has been working with an individual who will have online courses ready in these areas as an option.  Note too, that most of the USDA APHIS Accreditation Modules are RACE-approved and the remainder will be soon.

While we encourage you to submit your own public comments, MVMA will be requesting that the following changes be made:

Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Veterinary Medicine General Rules

• That “Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine” (MSU CVM) be added to R338.4933, Rule 33(2) under Activity Codes A and D. MSU CVM is the accredited educational college for veterinarians in the state of Michigan and as such offers multiple, relevant and recognized CME opportunities.
• That “local, state or regional professional organization” be added to R338.4933, Rule 33(2) under Activity Code A. Currently these organizations are listed under Activity Code B with a maximum of 15 hours that may be earned in each renewal period. There are numerous local and regional veterinary medical associations located throughout Michigan providing quality, accessible and relevant CME opportunities for veterinarians. We believe all of the CME provided by these organizations should be included in Activity Code A.
• That “all American Veterinary Medical Association Constituent Allied Organizations and Recognized Veterinary Specialty Organizations” be added to R338.4933, Rule 33(2) under Activity Codes A and D. These are national organizations that provide quality offerings for various types of veterinarians in the profession. 

Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Veterinary Technician Licensure

• That “Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine” (MSU CVM) be added to R338.4993, Rule 93(2) under Activity Codes A and D. MSU CVM is an accredited educational college for veterinary technicians in the state of Michigan, and as such, offers multiple, relevant and recognized CME opportunities.
• That “local, state or regional professional organization” be added to R338.4993, Rule 93(2) under Activity Code A. Currently these organizations are listed under Activity Code B with a maximum of 2 hours that may be earned in each renewal period. There are numerous local and regional veterinary medical associations located throughout Michigan providing quality, accessible and relevant CME opportunities for veterinary technicians. We believe all of the CME provided by these organizations should be included.
• That “all American Veterinary Medical Association Constituent Allied Organizations and Recognized Veterinary Specialty Organizations” be added to R338.4993, Rule 93(2) under Activity Code A. These are national organizations that provide quality offerings for various types of veterinarians in the profession.

Comments on the proposed rules may be presented in person at the public hearing. Written comments will also be accepted until 5:00 p.m. on September 29, 2017, at the following postal or e-mail address:

Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
Bureau of Professional Licensing– Boards and Committees Section
P.O. Box 30670
Lansing, MI 48909-8170
Attention: Policy Analyst
Email: BPL-BoardSupport@michigan.gov

Again, we encourage you to submit individual public comments either in writing or in person by 5:00pm on September 29, 2017.

Updated: September 6, 2017

From our friends at the Houston SPCA:

Thank you to all of our great friends from around the country. The current social media storm may have dampened some spirits but, in reality, has only strengthened our resolve and focus on our mission which is saving lives and reuniting people with their pets. We are #HoustonStrong.

Water rescues continue today with three teams out on the water. We continue our work in Beaumont/Jefferson County and provided nearly 7,000 pounds of supplies to the ASPCA who has been deployed by Hardin County. Now for the really exciting news: We have launched Operation Reunite with the Texas Veterinary Association, Texas Veterinary Medical Foundation, Finding Rover, Petco Foundation and Adopt-a-Pet.com. This triad of innovative and extraordinary programs is designed to help reunite storm victims with their families through facial recognition technology, provide 45 days of foster care through partnerships with veterinary hospitals and initiate peer-to-peer fostering for animals until people can rebuild their lives. Here’s how it will work.

OPERATION REUNITE: HURRICANE HARVEY

The Houston SPCA is collaborating with the Texas Veterinary Medical Association and the Texas Veterinary Medical Foundation to reunite lost pets with their owners. Animals will arrive at the Houston SPCA to be examined, vaccinated, scanned for microchips and dewormed. This information will be sent to the TVMA who has compiled a comprehensive list of veterinary clinics willing to provide foster care for 45 days. The pictures of these animals will be automatically uploaded into a disaster portal at FindingRover.com (more on that below). The veterinary clinic will manage the reunions. If an animal is not reunited with his/her owner after 45 days, he/she will be returned to the jurisdiction from where they were rescued, if that jurisdiction so chooses. If not returned to the original jurisdiction, the veterinary clinic can rehome the animal.

FINDINGROVER.COM: HURRICANE HARVEY PORTAL

Finding Rover, Petco Foundation and the Houston SPCA are teaming up to provide an innovative tool using facial recognition technology that will help victims of Hurricane Harvey reunite with their lost animals as Harvey continues to devastate this community. All shelters in the affected areas should go to FindingRover.com to approve access to their lost pet databases. This is the first time in history that photos of “found” animals arriving at shelters will automatically be loaded into a database which will use facial recognition to continually search for a match.

FOSTERAHURRICANEPET.ORG

Over 1,000,000 people and their pets have been displaced by Hurricane Harvey. Adopt-a-Pet.com and the Houston SPCA are partnering together using online technology to help match owned companion animals needing short or long-term fostering with appropriate foster homes in Texas or Louisiana that will give them the loving care they need while their owners rebuild their lives.

We continue to distribute supplies to animal shelters, rescue organizations and emergency food distribution centers. If you know of a shelter or organization in need, please have them call 281-730-7814. We are standing by to assist!

Thank you to all those animal welfare organizations, foundations and corporations who have been so incredibly supportive, kind and generous.

Original Post: September 5, 2017

The MVMA would like to share important information with you about Hurricane Harvey disaster response. The key organizations and agencies responsible for that response in Texas have expressed gratitude for the outpouring of offers to help, and would like the veterinary community to know the following:

1. Don’t self-deploy!

While the good intentions are appreciated, a systematic response is essential for effective, efficient progress of response and recovery efforts. Self-deploying volunteers can actually complicate and add to the work of local emergency management officials. Please do not enter a disaster-stricken area unless you are part of an organized response team with authorized access.

2. Future volunteer work is possible

The agencies tasked with response and recovery will identify needs for volunteers, and those volunteers will be coordinated through the incident management system. If you are interested in volunteering time to aid recovery efforts you should register now with the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (www.nvoad.org) and then await word on how and where your efforts can help. The Texas Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners has applications available for Temporary Emergency Licenses for out-of-state veterinarians who expect to deploy in Texas. To facilitate supporting future incidents, veterinarians may want to consider joining and training with a veterinary medical emergency response team, such as a state veterinary medical reserve corps or local Medical Reserve Corps programs (https://mrc.hhs.gov).

3. Donate if you can

Emergency officials say the best way to help at present is to donate to reputable organizations that will funnel the right aid to the people who need it. You might consider these:

• American Veterinary Medical Foundation: www.avmf.org
• Texas Veterinary Medical Foundation: www.texvetpets.org
• Houston SPCA: www.houstonspca.org
• SPCA of Texas: www.spca.org

4. Stay informed

The American Veterinary Medical Association has created a special website page (www.avma.org) covering Hurricane Harvey information for veterinarians, including how AVMA member veterinarians participating in rescue and emergency care related to Hurricane Harvey may apply for reimbursement grants through the AVMF.

Funds are available now for West Nile virus (WNV) and eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) diagnostic testing for suspect equine. This free service encourages owners to test suspect animals and help detect mosquito-borne diseases earlier, protecting the health of other animals and people in the area. If veterinarians have equine that have developed or recently died from a sudden onset of neurologic signs and the owner approves of pursuing testing, they should contact the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Animal Industry Division at 800-292-3939.

The funding covers the testing cost of samples taken from live or deceased animals (blood, cerebral spinal fluid, or brain samples). The samples will be tested by Michigan State University’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (VDL). Shipping to VDL is not covered. Additionally, if a brain sample is submitted, it will also be tested for rabies virus for free.

Animal Industry Division staff will work with the veterinarian to gather all necessary information and must approve all testing prior to submission. The veterinarian will be notified of the results when they are available.

To date in 2017, Michigan has had three cases of West Nile virus. The three cases were as follows: a 31-year-old Arabian mare from Jackson County, an eight-year-old Arabian gelding from Livingston County and a 15-year-old Standardbred gelding from Missaukee County. All three horses developed severe neurologic signs.

View the Full Brochure and Print a Registration Form

September 13, 2017: Dr. Nick Nelson, Practice Management
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Topics covered will include:

• Client Recruitment and Retention
• Employee Management
• Financial Management and Budgeting
• Dealing with Changes in Veterinary Medicine

October 4, 2017: Dr. Robert Kennis, Dermatology
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Topics covered will include:

• Allergic Skin Disease: New Treatments
• Skin Manifestations of Internal Issues
• Immune-Mediated Skin Disease

November 1, 2017: Dr. David Wilkie, Ophthalmology
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Topics covered will include:

• Diagnostic Examination: Ophthalmology for Idiots
• Eyelids, Conjunctiva, Third Eyelid: Keep it Simple
• Cornea: 0.5mm Is All You Get
• The Anterior Segment: Lens, Uveitis, and Glaucoma - ALL THE RED STUFF

December 6, 2017: Dr. Angela Lennox, Exotics
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Topics covered will include:

• Small Mammal Dentistry
• E. Cuniliculi
• Feather Destructive Behavior
• Anesthesia and Analgesia
• Minimum Requirements to See Exotics

March 7, 2018: Dr. Steve Thompson, Geriatrics
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Topics covered will include:

• Senior Behavior
• Managing Comorbidities
• Hospice Care

April 4, 2018: Dr. Tammy Grubb, Anesthesia & Pain Management
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Topics covered will include:

• Pain Management
• Balanced Anesthesia
• Regional and Local Anesthesia
• New Drugs
• Multimodal Analgesia

This Event is Generously Sponsored by

If you would like to register online, you must register for each seminar individually. This not only increases the accuracy of CE tracking, it also ensures you receive the correct confirmation information. Please contact us registrations@michvma.org with questions. 

On March 15, 2016, Governor Snyder signed Public Acts 47 and 49 into law requiring continuing medical education (CME) for veterinarians and veterinary technicians.   Here is MVMA's understanding of what will occur: 

When will mandatory CME take affect?

Veterinarians:  Beginning in 2020, an applicant for a veterinarian license renewal who held a license for the 3-year period immediately preceding the expiration date of the license shall have earned, within the 3-year period immediately preceding the date of the application, 45 hours of approved continuing education. 

Veterinary Technicians:  Beginning in 2020, an applicant for a veterinarian technician license renewal shall have earned, within the 3-year period immediately preceding the date of the application, 15 hours of approved continuing education. 

How much CME will veterinarians and veterinary technicians need in order to comply with the law?

Veterinarians will be required to complete 45 hours of CME every 3 years and veterinary technicians will be required to complete 15 hours every 3 years. 

How often will I need to renew my license?

License renewals for veterinarians and veterinary technicians will occur every 3 years. Previously licenses were renewed every 2 years. 

What will the new fees be and when will they be implemented?

The new veterinarian fees will be $70 per year and veterinary technicians will be $20 per year when fully implemented. No fee increases will occur until the CME program is implemented. 

What will be counted as approved CME?

There are no mandates or specific CME subject matter in the new law. Consequently, the Michigan Board of Veterinary Medicine is working to determine the rules. MVMA submitted suggestions to the Board of Veterinary Medicine in May of 2016 that they have considered. A draft document is currently going through the legal process for the State of Michigan, and a Public Comment period is now anticipated in the fall. MVMA will notify members when more information is available. The current draft rules approved by the Office of Regulatory Reinvention (ORR) for the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) Bureau of Professional Licensing are located at: 

Veterinarian rules: http://w3.lara.state.mi.us/orr/Files/ORR/1696_2017-019LR_orr-draft.pdf

Veterinary technician rules: http://w3.lara.state.mi.us/orr/Files/ORR/1697_2017-020LR_orr-draft.pdf 

MVMA’s understanding from LARA is that it does not do any good to submit suggestions to the ORR at this point.  In order for suggestions to be considered, they must be submitted to the promulgating department during the public comment period which will likely be in the fall. The state hopes to get the administrative rules through the entire process by year end.

MVMA as an entity will submit comments during the public comment period which will include recommending that both MSU CVM and “local, state or regional professional organizations” be added to R338.4933, Rule 33(2) under Activity Code A.  This would make any and all CME put on by these groups count toward the hours needed. 

Will MVMA be providing additional CME options to help members comply?

Absolutely! In addition to increasing the number of in-person educational opportunities and webinars, MVMA now has an online CE portal available exclusively to members. On our portal, there are over 1,187 courses you can choose from, with over 641 that are completely free. In addition, the portal will track your CE and you can even enter it from external sources to track your compliance. If you have not already created an account and would like to take advantage of this new member benefit, you can access the portal by logging in with your MVMA login information. If you need assistance, please contact us at mvma@michvma.org. 

MVMA will keep members posted as more information becomes available.