Student American Veterinary Medical Association
Encyclopedia
The Student American Veterinary Medical Association (SAVMA) is a national association of student chapters of the American Veterinary Medical Association
(AVMA) at schools and colleges of veterinary medicine
in the United States
, Canada
and the Caribbean
. SAVMA acts as a single national voice for veterinary students in accordance with the policies and goals of the AVMA, coordinates AVMA student chapter activities, facilitates the exchange of information, and represents the interests of student veterinarians within AVMA, the veterinary profession and in the political and legislative arenas nationally.
As of 2007, SAVMA had roughly 10,000 members in 29 chapters.
In early 1969, frustrated by the delay at the national level, the student AVMA chapter at the University of California, Davis
formed a committee which drafted a resolution and constitution for the new national student organization. In May 1969, the AVMA House of Delegates approved the formation of the National Conference of Student Chapters of the AVMA (NCSCAVMA). The organization's goals mirror those of the AVMA.
In 1972, the organization changed its name to the Student American Veterinary Medical Association.
SAVMA is governed by a House of Delegates (HOD). Each member chapter is permitted to two delegates to the HOD. The HOD meets each spring and summer. It elects officers, and sets policy within the boundaries established by the AVMA constitution and policies. The HOD has 11 committees that meet after the conclusion of the business meeting of the HOD. The committees are:
The HOD meeting in the spring is held in conjunction with the SAVMA Symposium, an educational and professional development conference. The HOD meeting in the summer is held in conjunction with the AVMA Annual Meeting.
The HOD elects six national officers. The officers include a president, secretary, treasurer, editor, International Exchange officer, and Information Technology officer. Also elected by the HOD are a president-elect and International Exchange Officer-elect. The officers oversee the day-to-day functioning of SAVMA.
The officers and officers-elect—along with the past-president, past-secretary, past-treasurer, AVMA Liaison, and AVMA Advisor to SAVMA—comprise the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee is the governing body of SAVMA between meetings of the HOD.
SAVMA also publishes Intervet, an online, members-only journal available on the AVMA Web site.
Each year, SAVMA also bestows the Teaching Excellence Awards. The award is given two veterinary faculty for excellence in instruction.
American Veterinary Medical Association
The American Veterinary Medical Association , founded in 1863, is a not-for-profit association representing more than 81,500 U.S. veterinarians working in private and corporate practice, government, industry, academia, and uniformed services....
(AVMA) at schools and colleges of veterinary medicine
Veterinary medicine
Veterinary Medicine is the branch of science that deals with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease, disorder and injury in non-human animals...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
. SAVMA acts as a single national voice for veterinary students in accordance with the policies and goals of the AVMA, coordinates AVMA student chapter activities, facilitates the exchange of information, and represents the interests of student veterinarians within AVMA, the veterinary profession and in the political and legislative arenas nationally.
As of 2007, SAVMA had roughly 10,000 members in 29 chapters.
History
In 1966, representatives of student chapters of the AVMA attending the AVMA Convention proposed forming a national organization under the aegis of the AVMA. The AVMA agreed to form a committee of students, practicing veterinarians and AVMA staff to study the idea.In early 1969, frustrated by the delay at the national level, the student AVMA chapter at the University of California, Davis
University of California, Davis
The University of California, Davis is a public teaching and research university established in 1905 and located in Davis, California, USA. Spanning over , the campus is the largest within the University of California system and third largest by enrollment...
formed a committee which drafted a resolution and constitution for the new national student organization. In May 1969, the AVMA House of Delegates approved the formation of the National Conference of Student Chapters of the AVMA (NCSCAVMA). The organization's goals mirror those of the AVMA.
In 1972, the organization changed its name to the Student American Veterinary Medical Association.
Structure
SAVMA membership is limited to student chapters of the AVMA at accredited veterinary medical schools in the U.S. and Canada. Associate member status is conferred to foreign veterinary medical schools.SAVMA is governed by a House of Delegates (HOD). Each member chapter is permitted to two delegates to the HOD. The HOD meets each spring and summer. It elects officers, and sets policy within the boundaries established by the AVMA constitution and policies. The HOD has 11 committees that meet after the conclusion of the business meeting of the HOD. The committees are:
- Animal Welfare–Human Animal Bond
- Communications
- Economics, Finance and Management
- Education and Licensure
- Emerging Issues
- Government Affairs
- International Veterinary Student Relations
- Multicultural Student Outreach
- Native American Project
- Symposium
- Vet Gazette
The HOD meeting in the spring is held in conjunction with the SAVMA Symposium, an educational and professional development conference. The HOD meeting in the summer is held in conjunction with the AVMA Annual Meeting.
The HOD elects six national officers. The officers include a president, secretary, treasurer, editor, International Exchange officer, and Information Technology officer. Also elected by the HOD are a president-elect and International Exchange Officer-elect. The officers oversee the day-to-day functioning of SAVMA.
The officers and officers-elect—along with the past-president, past-secretary, past-treasurer, AVMA Liaison, and AVMA Advisor to SAVMA—comprise the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee is the governing body of SAVMA between meetings of the HOD.
Publications and awards
SAVMA publishes Vet Gazette, which is the organization's official journal. It is published four times a year. A different SAVMA chapter is given publication duties each year.SAVMA also publishes Intervet, an online, members-only journal available on the AVMA Web site.
Each year, SAVMA also bestows the Teaching Excellence Awards. The award is given two veterinary faculty for excellence in instruction.
External links
- Official SAVMA page on the American Veterinary Medical AssociationAmerican Veterinary Medical AssociationThe American Veterinary Medical Association , founded in 1863, is a not-for-profit association representing more than 81,500 U.S. veterinarians working in private and corporate practice, government, industry, academia, and uniformed services....
website