Purdue Veterinary Medicine’s signature annual conference for Veterinarians and Veterinary Nurses kicks-off Tuesday, September 17 and continues through Saturday, September 21, with hours of engaging continuing education sessions, special events, keynote presentations, and the annual Dr. Skip Jackson Dog Jog. In total, the conference offers more than 100 sessions, an Exhibit Hall with vendors displaying the latest products, and up to 25 Continuing Education credits. If you missed out on registration, walk-in registration will be available on site.
The weeklong program begins Tuesday night with the Elanco Human Animal Bond Lecture, which is free and open to the public and features Nancy Gee, PhD, C-AISS, director of the Center for Human Animal Interaction at the VCU Medical College of Virginia. Dr. Gee, who serves as professor of psychiatry and the Bill Balaban Chair in Human-Animal Interaction, is a leading researcher and key opinion leader in the field. She will speak on the topic, “After 30,000 Years, What Do We Know About the Human-Animal Bond?” Her presentation starts at 5:00 p.m. in Stewart Center room 306, with a reception to follow at 6:00 in Stewart 302.
The schedule for Wednesday through Friday includes keynote lectures, with the Wellness Keynote headlining Wednesday’s continuing education program. Dr. Susan Cohen, DSW, who founded Pet Decisions and is regarded as a pioneer in the field of pet loss, will give the keynote during the noon hour on the topic, “What’s wrong with resilience? Transforming veterinary culture for better mental health.”
During the noon hour on Thursday, the Diversity Keynote will be given by Purdue Veterinary Medicine’s own Dr. Sandra F. San Miguel, associate dean for engagement and professor of veterinary clinical sciences. In her presentation entitled, “The Influence of Diversity in Communication in Healthcare,” Dr. San Miguel will share about The League of VetaHumanz, a global, inclusive veterinary superhero league where VetaHumanz in academia, practice, research, government, and industry engage with community centers and schools across the globe to provide access and support for under-resourced children.
Another annual highlight of the Purdue Veterinary Conference is the Jack and Naomi Stockton / Class of 1971 Lecture, which this year features Dr. Regina Tan, a Purdue alumna who serves as director of the Office of Research at the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Tan earned her Purdue DVM degree in 1999 and a Purdue Master of Science in Public Health and Molecular Epidemiology the following year. She will speak on the topic, “One Health and the Future of Veterinary Medicine” at 3:30 p.m. Thursday.
The conference’s premier social event takes place Wednesday evening, when the college hosts the annual Alumni and Friends Celebration, which is open to all faculty, staff, and students and Purdue Veterinary Conference registrants. Held in the Purdue Memorial Union North Ballroom, the event begins with a reception at 4:30 p.m., followed by the program at 5:00 that features presentation of the Distinguished Alumni Awards to Dr. F. Claire Hankenson, of the DVM Class of 1997, and Dr. Kelly G. Whitesel, of the DVM Class of 1972. The program also will include recognition of alumni classes celebrating milestone anniversaries, from five years to 60 years. In addition, the DVM Class of 1999 will be honored on the occasion of its 25th Reunion and the DVM Class of 1974 will be recognized as the 50th Anniversary class.
The conference week concludes, with the Dr. Skip Jackson Dog Jog, which is open to the public and starts at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday in front of Lynn Hall. Click here to sign-up for the Dog Jog.
The Purdue Veterinary Conference is a highlight of the year for the college and will bring together more than 700 attendees, including alumni from across the country as well as faculty staff and students. Click here for more information.