Purdue Veterinary Conference Successfully Returns to in-person Format to Delight of Attendees

Dr. Lisa Greenhill, chief diversity officer for the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) gave the Diversity Keynote presentation.

Seeing veterinary college classmates, colleagues and faculty, staff and students face-to-face was a highlight of the 2022 Purdue Veterinary Conference as the annual event returned to an in-person format.  For the prior two years, the program was conducted virtually due to the pandemic.

Held at the Purdue Memorial Union and Lynn Hall September 20-24, the Conference featured a full slate of over 100 courses offering Continuing Education credits.  In addition, attendees had many opportunities to visit the Exhibit Hall, which featured more than 25 exhibitors.  They also were able to join in special events, including the Alumni and Friends Celebration Thursday, September 22, when top alumni and teaching awards were presented and alumni in classes celebrating milestone reunions were recognized.

The conference attracted nearly 750 attendees, including more than 170 veterinarians and 110 veterinary nurses as well as College of Veterinary Medicine faculty, staff and students.  The week kicked off with the annual Elanco Human Animal Bond Lecture featuring a talk entitled “The Other End of the Leash: Why Animals Are Important for Human Development,” featuring Dr. Gail Melson, Professor Emerita with the Purdue University Department of Human Development & Family Studies, who has played a long-standing role in research related to the human animal bond. 

Dr. Ryan Hill, PVM clinical assistant professor of shelter medicine, gave a presentation as part of the Shelter Medicine Track during the 2022 Purdue Veterinary Conference.

Other conference features included two keynote sessions.  Makenzie Peterson, DSW, MSc, gave the Wellness Keynote at noon Wednesday, September 21, in the Purdue Memorial Union North Ballroom. Her talk was entitled, “Culture Change & Wellbeing in Veterinary Medicine.”  The Diversity Keynote on Thursday, September 22, featured Dr. Lisa M. Greenhill, who gave a presentation entitled, “Developing your Sense of Agency to Promote Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion in the Workplace.” 

The conference also featured various continuing education tracks including Veterinary Nursing, Small Animal, Ruminant, Swine, Equine, and Practice Management and Communication, as well as industry presentations, USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) modules, and a Diagnostic Medicine track that included sessions led by Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory section heads and Dr. Kenitra Hendrix, ADDL director; Dr. Craig Bowen, ADDL assistant director; and Dr. Grant Burcham, veterinary diagnostician with the Heeke Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in Southern Indiana.

Runners and their canine companions participated in the 2022 Dr. Skip Jackson Dog Jog.

The conference concluded with a beloved tradition, the Dr. Skip Jackson Dog Jog, which started and ended in front of Lynn Hall, adjacent to the Continuum Sculpture.  The successful event was extra meaningful this year, because it occurred just days after the passing of its namesake, Dr. Horace “Skip” Jackson, professor emeritus of biochemistry and veterinary physiology.  As a tribute to Dr. Jackson, a moment of silence was held at the beginning of the race.  Then Dean Willie Reed led a countdown to the official start of the race, and participants, including dozens of canine companions, were off and running or walking on a course that wound past picturesque areas of the southern portion of the Purdue campus.

The dates already are set for next year’s Purdue Veterinary Conference.  The conference will be held September 19-23, 2023.

Writer(s): Kevin Doerr | pvmnews@purdue.edu

Recent Stories

Keeping Your Pets Safe from Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI)

The Purdue Veterinary Hospital has not detected Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in its practices but is providing important information to help pet and livestock owners stay informed. HPAI affects various species, including birds, cats, dogs, and livestock, and can spread through contact with infected animals or raw food. To reduce risk, avoid feeding raw meat or unpasteurized dairy to pets, limit wildlife exposure, and use protective gear when handling animals. Owners of feline and avian patients will be asked screening questions during appointments.

Purdue Engineering Hosts PVM Canine Educators for ‘Canines, Cookies, and Calm’ During Mental Health Action Week

Purdue Veterinary Medicine’s beloved Canine Educators found themselves amidst a throng of engineering students last Friday, March 7, in the Herman & Heddy Kurz Atrum of Armstrong Hall, where they were the center of attention during an event on the final day of Purdue’s Mental Health Action Week (MHAW). Named “Canines, Cookies, and Calm,” the event hosted by the College of Engineering fostered smiles, laughter, and endless thanks from a total of some 300 engineering students.

“Paws Up” – brought to you by the PVM Wellness Committee

March is National Social Work Month! It’s a perfect time to recognize our very own Veterinary Hospital Social Worker, Jennifer Dehn, LSW, MSW.

In Memory – Dr. Raymond Backe (PU DVM ’66)

The Purdue Veterinary Medicine community mourns the passing of Dr. Ray Backe, an alumnus who was a member of the college’s fourth graduating class – the Class of 1966. Dr. Backe, of Amherst Junction, Wisconsin, formerly of Greendale, Wisconsin, passed away January 19, 2025. He was 84.

Purdue Veterinary Alumni Meet up in Las Vegas at WVC Annual Conference

Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine alumni stood out from the large crowds of veterinary professionals attending the Viticus Group 2025 WVC Annual Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada as they gathered for the Purdue Veterinary Alumni Reception held in conjunction with the conference. The event Monday evening, March 3, attracted close to 70 alumni who met up at the Rhythm and Rifts lounge located just off the Mandalay Bay casino floor.

Purdue Veterinary Student and Small Animal Surgery Resident Achieve Recognition at Major Specialty Conference

A Purdue second-year veterinary student and a third-year small animal surgery resident helped put the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine in the spotlight at the 52nd Annual Conference of the Veterinary Orthopedic Society (VOS) this year.

PVM Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Announces Plans to Retire

An esteemed and dedicated Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine faculty member and administrator, Dr. S. Kathleen Salisbury, has announced that she will conclude her Purdue career of more than 40 years when she retires effective June 30, 2025. Her decision was shared with the college’s faculty, staff and students by Dean Bret Marsh, DVM, Wednesday (3/12).