What is the SAVMA Symposium?

SAVMA is the Student Chapter of the American Veterinary Medical Association. Every year, they hold a symposium, or large meeting at one of the U.S. veterinary schools.

It's only December and Summer is far far away, but it's never too early to start thinking about what you might want to do with your Summer vacation. Some veterinary students are already set in their plans for the summer. Others may be just beginning to consider their options for what they might do to fill their time. For those with a long Winter break you may be able to apply some of these ideas to your extended time off.  If you need something to keep your brain from turning completely to mush and to help bulk up your CV, here are a list of popular ideas to help:

Dog parks are some of the happiest places on earth.  When I was in vet school, I didn’t have a yard and I loved taking my dog to an area where she could run off leash and socialize with other dogs.  It was a great stress reliever to sit there and watch all of the happy pups playing together.  

However, it wasn’t always smooth sailing.  Sometimes there were aggressive dogs or owners, little kids that didn’t know boundaries or sad pets that were left alone in the park like it was a doggie daycare.  

As a veterinarian I have been lucky to see very few emergencies from the dog park, but unfortunately there is a risk to letting your dog play with a lot other strange dogs.  Here are some dangers to warn your owners about regarding the dog park.

Cold weather is approaching and this means it is time to think about keeping pets safe in the winter months. Some clients think that fur is a magical insulator that make pets immune to the cold. Unfortunately this is not true. While some animals can survive the winter outdoors, it is important to provide pets with appropriate care and shelter during the freezing temperatures to help keep them as safe as possible. Your best when it's cold or wet out, is to keep younger, older, and sick pets indoors. Here are some tips to share with your clients to help keep pets safe in the colder months

Becoming a Veterinary Professional by guest author Lori Hehn, DVM

There are many things to think about as you prepare yourself to go out into the workplace after veterinary school. You will finally be a professional in the field of veterinary medicine! It may seem a little intimidating, but there are some things you can do to help yourself prepare for the transition.  Every student has a different situation at home. Do you have student loans? Are you single or do you have a family to consider? Have you found a job locally or will you be moving to a new location? Will you be working alone or with other veterinarians? Will you be doing an internship? Are you going into day practice? Will you be on call for emergencies? No matter your situation, there are some things that can help you prepare for all of those factors and transition into the real world of being a doctor!