News

In any learning event MVMA schedules, the safety and well-being of our members, sponsors, staff, speakers and partners are our top priorities.  Our goal is to always produce quality CE that is timely and from expert speakers who can provide insight on the advancements in veterinary medicine. Due to recent upticks in COVID-19 cases and travel bans from businesses, universities and other institutions, we have made the difficult decision to make this year’s Great Lakes Veterinary Conference a fully virtual event. We are disappointed to not be gathering together on the island, but know you will be pleased with the program we put together. With our new conference format, you will have the freedom to view the seminars in the comfort of your own home, office or wherever you prefer.

So, you probably have a couple of questions regarding the conference and your registration. We have many of those answers and are happy to assist you through this transition.

CONFERENCE PRICING AND REGISTRATION – What you need to do

We have slashed prices to make this more affordable for anyone who wants to attend. New pricing is available below. If you are currently registered for either the in-person or virtual event, we will send you a refund for the difference in price and keep your registration for the new event. You only need to contact us if you intend to cancel. All cancellation fees are waived for this year if you cancel by Friday, Aug. 7.

ROOM RESERVATION(S) – What you need to do

Grand Hotel

Option 1: Cancel your room and MVMA covers the room cancellation fee.

Please note, you will have 7 days from the date you received this email to inform the Grand Hotel about your decision to keep your current reservation as-is, cancel the reservation, or find an alternate date to transfer your funds to. If you cancel, a full refund will be issued by the Grand Hotel. A fee associated with the cancellation will be billed to the MVMA. You must cancel your reservation within 7 days of receiving their email to qualify for this fee waiver. The Grand Hotel will bill the MVMA directly after the reservation has been canceled and no further action from you will be required.  

Option 2: Keep your original reservation and enjoy the island.

Option 3: The reservation may be moved to another time within the current season designated by the Grand Hotel. Please contact the Grand Hotel for the most up-to-date schedule on room availability. This request must be made before Wednesday, August 5.

To contact the Grand Hotel about your reservation and the option you prefer, please call 1-800-334-7263 to speak with a reservation representative.  

IF YOU HAVE ACCOMMODATIONS OTHER THAN THE GRAND HOTEL – What you need to do

Option 1: Cancel your room and MVMA covers the room cancellation fee*.

Please note, if you decide to cancel your reservation, the MVMA will cover the cancellation fee up to $50 per reservation. To qualify for this fee waiver, you must contact your hotel and cancel your reservation before your reservation can no longer be canceled for a full refund minus the cancellation fee. Please advise the hotel to send the MVMA an invoice for the amount of cancellation fee and our staff will process their request. Please advise the hotel to address the invoice to the following:  

Michigan Veterinary Medical Association

Attn: Sheri Fandel

2144 Commons Parkway

Okemos, MI 48864-3986

Option 2: Keep your original reservation and enjoy the island.

Option 3: If your hotel allows, you may be able to move the reservation to another date. Please contact your hotel to further discuss their policy on hotel reservations.

GLVC SPEAKERS

We have an exciting lineup of speakers for our virtual event who will bring you important and timely content, including two recent additions.

Your GLVC speakers also include:

Melanie Goble, DVM, Vice President, Not One More Vet

Daniel Langlois, BS, DVM, DACVIM, Assistant Professor, Small Animal Clinical Sciences, MSU College of Veterinary Medicine

Sarah L. Babcock, DVM, JD, President, Animal & Veterinary Legal Services, PLLC

*Dr. Jim Noxon who was scheduled to present on the island is no longer able to participate.

If you have any questions, regarding your registration, hotel options, or general conference questions, please feel to email mvma@michvma.org or call 517.347.4710. Our staff will be glad to assist you with any questions you have might have.

Again, thank you for registering for the 2020 GLVC. We look forward to seeing you soon!

We’re excited to offer a brand new learning opportunity this summer—a virtual option for the Great Lakes Veterinary Conference. While we are planning to host GLVC as normal on Aug. 16-18 at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, we want to make sure the content of this conference is accessible to anyone who wishes to attend.

Attendees now have the choice to register for the in-person event or the virtual option that allows you to participate from just about anywhere. MVMA has contracted with Motown Digital to provide this opportunity. The software is easy to use and will allow you to feel as if you were in the room. You will be able to participate fully, including asking questions and interacting with in-person attendees.

We wanted to offer this new option in the event we are not able to meet in person in August, or if group sizes are limited. Below is a short FAQ. If you have other questions that have not been answered, please email us and we will provide the answer. Registration is now open for both opportunities so be sure to claim your spot.

So, what happens if I register for the event at the Grand Hotel and it’s canceled due to COVID-19? You will be able to participate in the virtual setting, or you will be given a full refund with no cancellation fees.

What if a limited group can meet on the island and more people have registered than there are spots? For example, if only 50 people can gather in one place, the first 50 people to register for the event have the right of first refusal. If all want to be at the Grand Hotel, everyone who registered after the first 50 will automatically be placed in the virtual option, so it’s important to register early. If you’re not interested in the virtual option, you will be given a full refund.

Will the virtual option still be available if restrictions are lifted and there is no limit to the amount of people who can gather at the Grand Hotel? Yes. We want everyone to be able to access this material in the safest way possible. If you don’t feel comfortable meeting in a large group, you can still participate virtually. The plan is to offer a blend of in-person and online content. The virtual option will move forward regardless.

Click Here to Register for the Great Lakes Veterinary Conference Today!

We’re all in this together. Whether it’s seeing patients over FaceTime, protecting our employees, or homeschooling our kids, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed business as usual. The daily stresses of life can be tough to bear at times, and so we’re hoping to make things just a little easier on you.

Join us on Thursday for a Zoom Happy Hour designed to help you vent, stay connected with colleagues, or simply escape the stress of our new reality. Bring your drink of choice and whatever topic of conversation you’d like. We’ll limit each session to 20 participants to help enhance the conversation.

REGISTER NOW

These meetings can be whatever you’d like them to be. You can ask me about MVMA, you can ask your colleagues about their practice or how they’re coping, or you can simply grab a drink and listen to the conversation. I will be holding these meetings twice a week through the duration of the pandemic. If the demand calls for more, I’ll add them.

I want you all to know that MVMA is here to support you, your practice and your well-being.

Sign up here. I hope to see you all soon.

Sincerely,