Committee Spotlight: SAIM Form Review
Autumn Harris, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM) | Chair, SAIM Form Review Committee
Dr. Autumn Harris is an internist at the Small Animal Hospital at the University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine, where she works as a clinician and researcher. She is especially passionate about improving the lives of dogs and cats with kidney disease.
What motivated you to volunteer with the ACVIM, or how did you first get involved with the organization?
I have volunteered for ACVIM since I became a Diplomate in 2016. I was interested in getting connected with others within our community. I wanted to learn more about how our ACVIM organization functions and operates to hopefully contribute to positive changes within our community to continue supporting our fellow Diplomates and trainees.
Could you describe the work of the committee and how this work contributes to the overall mission/goals of the ACVIM?
The very important primary role of the SAIM Form Review Committee is to review the SAIM Specialty Exam to ensure all the items in each test form work together well and that the final test form is cohesive prior to administration. We are subject matter experts when the forms are being evaluated. Part of ACVIM’s mission is to be trusted leaders in veterinary education, and part of being those trusted leaders is having a top-level certification process.
As the chair of this committee, what responsibilities and duties do you undertake?
I act as the primary liaison between the ACVIM staff liaisons and committee members, work to organize committee meeting agendas and facilitate committee meetings. I help prepare committee reports and communicate with the BOR on committee updates. Finally, I review the exam result appeal letters.
What advice would you give to other Diplomates considering volunteering with the ACVIM?
I think volunteering is a great way to feel more connected to the ACVIM community and get the opportunity to interact with a diverse group all working towards a common goal of making our organization the best it can be.
Looking ahead, what are your aspirations for the committee and its impact within ACVIM? Are there any upcoming projects or goals that you are particularly excited about?
As the ACVIM has recently undergone major changes to our specialty examination and certification process over the past several years, I feel this committee will have a vital role in continuing to shape our specialty examination as part of the certification process and what we want it to look like moving forward.