NAVC: program diversity highlights conference agenda

ORLANDO, FLA.—Participants in the upcoming North American Veterinary Conference (NAVC), set for Jan. 8-12, 2005 here, will have plenty of learning opportunities, conference organizers say.

From a presentation on how to incorporate digital imaging into medical records, Web sites and promotional material, to workshops with tips for enhancing external public relations efforts, this year's conference boasts something for everyone, including large and small animal practitioners, practice managers, veterinary assistants and technicians as well as their families.

"'Something for everyone' has always been an underlying tenet of NAVC programming, and this year's program is no exception," says Colin Burrows, B.Vet. Med., Ph.D., NAVC's chief executive officer and program chair.

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"We don't just offer variety for the practitioner; we offer a variety of learning opportunities since not everyone learns in the same way," Burrows adds. "To this end, we specialize in diversified methods of learning, from small-group seminars and laboratories to the full-sized standard lectures. That's not even counting the lengths we go to in order to provide entertainment and innovation to the families of our participants."

Technological innovation, and helping practitioners keep abreast of it, is just one of the niches NAVC board members and planners have carved out for themselves over the years and have a vested interest in maintaining. Laboratories including a demonstration on elephant medicine, which will focus on management techniques as well as diagnostic procedures and medical issues of Asian elephants are key parts of the agenda again this year.

Got nightmares about the growing presence of veterinary-related issues in the courtroom?

The 2005 NAVC features two mock trials as a novel learning medium. In one, featuring a series of video vignettes a la "Law and Order," the "Paw and Order" program will feature a veterinarian on trial for a malpractice case in which a client's child was injured. In the second, registrants will experience a step-by-step approach to what's involved in being an expert witness in an animal cruelty case, according to experts in the legal field who will be a part of the drama. Session participants will be given tools to cope with such stressful situations, along with an overview of what to expect. Among the participants: Frank George, assistant district attorney for Orlando, Fla., who will serve as a mock prosecutor.

"Frank is in the process of securing a colleague from the Orlando area to act as judge," said Randall Lockwood, Ph.D., vice president of research and educational outreach for the Humane Society of the United States. "This promises to be an entertaining and educational exercise."

NAVC President Linda Jacobson, DVM, says conference venues will be the same as last year, with the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center serving as the headquarters hotel with support provided by the Marriott Orlando World Center and the Caribe Royale Resort & Suites.

"The Caribe will host our wet labs, and the Marriott will be hosting more meetings and more exhibits in Bayer's Central Park," she says.

NAVC's trademark masterclasses, roundtables, meet-the-professor lunches, case challenges and defined learning experiences are back in force again this year, Burrows says.

The latest developments in wound management, acupuncture, Johne's disease as well as lameness workshops and labs geared to food animal practitioners will be presented in various meetings and symposia.

For more information or to register, contact NAVC headquarters in Gainesville, Fla., at (352) 375-5672 or (800) 756-3446. To register or view the conference's CE program online, visit www.tnavc.org.