The Benefit of Professional Conferences

I just got back from Orlando, Florida where I participated in one of the world's largest Veterinary conferences...the NAVC - North American Veterinary Conference. Although I was only able to participate in 3 days of the 5 day conference, it was really worth my time. I was able to attend about 15 different lectures on topics in small animal, equine, food and even exotic animal medicine! Many of the lecture topics were intriguing, complicated topics that are currently up for debate among the profession. Others were a great review for some of my veterinary courses (like Equine Nutrition and Digestion and The ABC's of Acid Base). Some lectures were totally over my head, but very useful information for future classes and clinics. For example, I attended a talk entitled, "Standing Sedation for the Equine Practitioner" which gave me a great introduction to the common drugs used by equine vets and why we use them for particular procedures.


Attending such a large conference with a diverse representation of people from the veterinary profession was eye opening! I was able to gain an insider's glance into the profession I will be joining (hopefully) in just 2.5 years! I was able to network with my future colleges. Most of all I enjoyed feeling so eager to learn. The reason I even applied to veterinary school in the first place (2nd to my love of animals). It really made me think that veterinary school isn't so bad, I am building my foundation on becoming a knowledgeable and talented veterinarian. 

If you are an undergraduate student at or near any veterinary school, I strongly encourage you to participate in any veterinary conferences or Symposiums.

Where to find information on local symposiums at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine: http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/ce/index.cfm

http://www.alamopintado.com/veterinarians/conference/