Animal Careers

The Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges has announced a major upgrade to the Veterinary Medical College Application Service (VMCAS) that will streamline the application process for those seeking entrance to veterinary school. The VMCAS service will now allow a student to submit a single set of transcripts for verification and sharing with multiple programs, rather than requiring an individual set for each school.

The VMCAS upgrade will be in effect as of June 5, 2013.

The 2013 Alltech International Symposium is currently under way in Lexington, Kentucky. The 29th annual event runs from May 19-22 and has a theme of "GLIMPSE 2020," envisioning the future of agriculture and agribusiness. Sessions focus on topics such as the development of pet and livestock rations, innovations in aquaculture, agricultural marketing, and business management.

The symposium is a great networking and educational event for pet food sales reps, livestock feed sales reps, aquaculture farmers, animal nutritionists, veterinarians, and others involved in animal agriculture.

This course could be of use to students interested in veterinary pharmaceutical sales, beef production, dairy production, animal science, or other related areas.

The American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists (ACVO) and Merial are currently hosting the 2013 National Service Dog Eye Exam Event. Throughout the month of May, the program offers free eye exams provided by participating veterinary ophthalmologists. Nearly 5,000 service dogs were evaluated during last year's event, and nearly 16,000 dogs have been involved in the program since it began in 2008.

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) is celebrating National Pet Week from May 5-11, 2013. The AVMA encourages pet owners to take heed of this year's theme: "Love Your Pet, See Your Vet." During this week, veterinarians across the U.S. emphasize the importance of preventive care visits that can catch problems early and minimize treatment costs.

With the 139th edition of the Kentucky Derby taking place this weekend, it is a perfect time for those interested in horse racing careers to take another look at possible job options. From well known positions (like trainer and jockey) to lesser known roles (like jockey agent and bloodstock agent), there are many potential career paths in the racing industry.

The 39th annual Animal Transportation Association conference is currently under way in Las Vegas and runs through May 1. This year's edition features topics such as equine transportation, animal welfare during transit, marine animal transportation (dolphins and sharks), USDA electronic health certificates, and the history of animal transportation.

The veterinary community celebrates World Veterinary Day on Saturday, April 27. The event has been held on the last Saturday of April since its inception in 2000. This year's theme centers on vaccination awareness.

The University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine will host its sixth annual Healthy Horses Conference on Saturday, April 27. The conference offers a variety of classes and demonstrations on equine health topics, tours of the facility, and direct access to respected equine health professionals.

Interested horse owners, aspiring equine veterinarians, and other equine enthusiasts are encouraged to register today at the UF Conference website.

The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) has announced its summer schedule of continuing education events for equine veterinarians. Upcoming CE workshops focus on musculoskeletal ultrasound (July 13-16 in California), hind suspensory and stifle injuries (July 28-31 in Colorado), dentistry and business education (August 4-6 in North Carolina), and the equine foot (September 5-7 in Colorado).

The dentistry workshop will also feature a special program designed for students still in veterinary school, though space is limited and students are encouraged to sign up early.