Author: Christpina

Many of us practicing in areas without immediate access to specialists understand the challenge of navigating complex neurology cases with limited resources. At my home hospital in Oakdale, the “Cowboy Capital of the World,” we’ve even coined a term for it: “cowboy medicine.”

While we rely on our best judgment and provide high-quality care, the desire for more advanced knowledge always lingers. The Don Low Fellowship is designed to empower lifelong learners like us, equipping us to confidently manage challenging cases or prepare them effectively for specialist referral.

The CVMA is forming a new Education Committee, and we’re looking for members passionate about continuing education to get involved! This committee will play a key role in shaping and supporting our continuing education (CE) programs year-round. By contributing your expertise, you’ll help ensure our CE offerings stay current, high-quality, and impactful—empowering veterinary professionals in their ongoing career growth.

Veterinary practices today are stretched thin, balancing rising supply costs, staffing challenges, and growing client demands. Yet, many practices are unknowingly overspending on essential, non-clinical services like telecom, merchant processing, waste, compressed gases, facility supplies, and more.

I learned early on in my organized veterinary medicine career that one can’t just sit by and listen. It was 1996, and I was the student representative to the Minnesota VMA’s Board of Governors. I had proposed that the student representatives receive full voting rights on the Board.

We pursued a direction for the logo that is modern, vibrant, and innovative. This new branding has a fresh and inventive feel, representing our responsibility to continually evolve and support veterinary members of all kinds.