January Message from the CEO
A new year always feels like a new beginning to me. This year is especially exciting, as we look forward to strengthening the relationships that drive our organization. We’ll hope to be meeting in person again, COVID-19 permitting.
Our Board has not met face-to-face in over two years, so we are particularly looking forward to coming together in March for our semiannual meeting. Even better is the hope that we will have a live ACVIM Forum in June. I have been at our annual conference nearly every year since 1993. While hearing new ideas at lectures and workshops is always energizing, even more so is the opportunity to reconnect with resident-mates and former students.
When I think about what I personally value most about the ACVIM, it is the connection I feel to our members, as we’ve all shared similar experiences in becoming Board-certified specialists. The friendships I made during my residency are still important now, 25 years later! I view the ACVIM Forum as an opportunity to reaffirm those relationships and to make new connections as well.
"I look forward to approaching the new year with a sense of optimism and a reminder to myself that we are all people, doing the best we can to find our way through times of uncertainty."
This year we’ll be holding strategic discussions with the Board of Regents and our other volunteer leaders, as we did virtually in 2021. We’re also planning a full schedule of ACE courses this year, providing a more intimate and focused learning experience for participants.
The ACVIM is continuing to take a leadership position in the broader profession as well. We are leading a collaborative group of specialty association executives with the goal of working together to address some of the larger challenges specialty medicine and the broader veterinary profession are facing. This group will be meeting regularly via video and hope to meet in person at least once in 2022 as well.
After spending the last 18+ months dealing with crises, political and social upheaval and the pandemic, I look forward to approaching the new year with a sense of optimism and a reminder to myself that we are all people, doing the best we can to find our way through times of uncertainty. I personally am looking forward to continuing to find the opportunities that have come out of the adversity of the last few years!
 | Linda Fineman, DVM, DACVIM (Oncology)
|
