Skip to main content

Upcoming Purdue Veterinary Conference Features Keynotes on Wellness and Diversity

(left to right): Dr. Susan Cohen, Dr. Sandra F. San Miguel, Dr. Regina Tan
The 2024 Purdue Veterinary Conference features keynote speakers (left-right) Dr. Susan Cohen and Dr. Sandra F. San Miguel, and the annual Stockton Lecture, which will be given by Dr. Regina Tan.

The 2024 Purdue Veterinary Conference will continue an important tradition of offering keynote sessions on Wellness and Diversity. Another conference highlight will be the annual Stockton Lecture on current issues affecting the Veterinary industry.

This year’s Wellness Keynote will feature Dr. Susan Cohen, DSW, who founded Pet Decisions and is regarded as a pioneer in the field of pet loss. She will give a talk at noon on Wednesday, September 18, entitled, “What’s wrong with resilience? Transforming veterinary culture for better mental health.” During the lecture she will explore three paths to wellness that can make a difference in the life of veterinary professionals and their coworkers: interpersonal skills, self-care, and structural change. She encourages audience members to choose one small action and lighten a heavy load.

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. Dr. San Miguel will speak on the topic, “The Influence of Diversity in Communication in Healthcare.” During her presentation, she 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. The award-winning program is supported by the Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) program of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health. Dr. San Miguel’s presentation will include information about how veterinary professionals, veterinary practices, and organizations can join in the mission. The Diversity Lecture is scheduled for Thursday, September 19, at 12:00 p.m.

The Stockton Lecture will feature Dr. Regina Tan, a 1999 Purdue DVM graduate who joined the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as the Director of the center’s Office of Research. She currently is the Senior Advisor for the agency’s Center for Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Tan will speak about the FDA’s Animal and Veterinary Innovation Agenda and demonstrate how the agency is using One Health to protect the health of humans and animals in the United States.

These special lectures represent just some of the highlights of the 2024 Purdue Veterinary Conference. To hear these enlightening presentations click here to register for the conference. Registrants also will gain access to continuing education tracks on Diagnostic Imaging, Equine, Exotics, Emergency Preparedness, Practice Management and Communication, Ruminant, Shelter Medicine, Small Animal, Poultry, and Veterinary Nursing, as well as industry presentations and USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) modules. To take advantage of early bird pricing, make sure to register by September 1. Click here for more information about the 2024 Purdue Veterinary Conference.

The conference will conclude Saturday, September 21, with the Dr. Skip Jackson Dog Jog, which is open to the public and starts at 8:00 a.m. in front of Lynn Hall. Click here to sign-up for the Dog Jog.

Writer(s): Tom Mauch | pvmnews@purdue.edu

Recent Stories

Indiana FFA Names PVM’s Julia Wickard as One of Five New Board Members

Executive Director of the Purdue Veterinary Alumni Association and Constituent Liaison Julia Wickard is one of five newly named members of the Indiana FFA Foundation board of directors.  The appointments took effect July 1.

Alumnus and Oncology Specialist Dr. Christopher Fulkerson Appointed as Associate Dean for Purdue Veterinary Hospitals

Purdue Veterinary Medicine Dean Bret D. Marsh, DVM, has named Dr. Christopher Fulkerson as Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs and Chief Veterinary Officer for the Purdue Veterinary Hospitals. The appointment was announced July 1, the same day that Dr. Fulkerson’s promotion to full Clinical Professor of Veterinary Medical Oncology took effect.

“Paws Up” for the ADDL Accessioning and Molecular Teams – brought to you by the PVM Wellness Committee

This week, we express our sincere gratitude to our ADDL Accessioning and Molecular Teams (and cross trained individuals).

PVM Dean Bret Marsh Shares College Update with Swine Producers and Industry Partners at Major Swine Event in Indianapolis

Swine Health was the focus of a significant event recently at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis as swine industry partners and swine producers gathered for the National Junior Summer Spectacular (NJSS) and Summer Type Conference (STC).  The event was held at the end of June in the Fall Creek Pavillion and included a Swine Health Briefing that featured swine industry and veterinary medicine leaders including Purdue Veterinary Medicine Dean Bret Marsh, who also had an opportunity to provide an update on the College of Veterinary Medicine.

2026 Annual Recognition Ceremony Honors VCS Residents, Graduate Students, and PVH Interns

On Monday, June 29, 2026, more than 100 faculty and staff from the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences and the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital gathered at Thomas Duncan Hall for the 2026 Resident and Intern Recognition Ceremony. This annual event provides a great opportunity to honor and celebrate the contributions of the residents, interns, and graduate students who are completing their programs this summer.

New Administrative Assistant Joins PVM Office of Student Success

The Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine welcomes Charity Holden as the new administrative assistant in the Office of Student Success.

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

This week we are highlighting Scott Fix who is the Lead Facilities Manager in the Department of Veterinary Administration.

Remembering Zeus: A Legacy of Loyalty and Love

We continue our series of articles about animals and their owners who’ve found help and healing at the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital by sharing the story of a beloved dog named Zeus. For Amy Fitzsimmons-Blaising, Zeus wasn’t just a dog, he was her spirit animal and best friend. A proud Giant Schnauzer bred in Bedford, Indiana, Zeus had been the heart of Amy’s home for 11 unforgettable years. Then, in October 2024, Zeus’s health challenges began, when he started coughing and showing signs that looked like seizures. After rushing him to a local veterinary urgent care facility, Amy learned he was in congestive heart failure, and she turned to the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital for help.

PVM Scholar Receives Purdue WGHI Pilot Grant Aimed at Advancing Women’s Health

Purdue University’s Women’s Global Health Institute (WGHI) has announced six pilot research grant awards aimed at solving critical problems in women’s health and quality of life, and one of recipients is Purdue Veterinary Medicine faculty member Viju Vijayan Pillai. Dr. Pillai is assistant professor of anatomic pathology in the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Department of Comparative Pathobiology.

The universal socket set of vaccines: Innovative technology heralds more effective, more efficient vaccines

You fight fire with fire. And Purdue Veterinary Medicine vaccine expert Suresh Mittal fights viruses with viruses. Using innovative techniques, Dr. Mittal, Distinguished Professor of Virology in the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Department of Comparative Pathobiology, develops novel vaccines for viral infections including avian influenza.