All About Conferences...Share your experience!

[Caia]

Conferences!

We all know they're around, but which ones have you attended and what did you really get out of going? What did you enjoy? What wasn't so great?

Do you feel like there are benefits to attending outside of learning and networking for vet students? What is your school's policy on attending?

I've seen quite a few threads pop up here and there about attendance, but not much discussion on the conferences themselves. Share your experience!

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[Gwenevre]

Even as an undergrad, since I work in the vet school I go to Purdue's Fall Conference every year. I love how every day there are different room dedicated to a different track (SA, LA, FA, Equine, Technicians).
However, since I'm still a student, I would have chances to go between classes. Most of the lecture times didn't match up with my classes, and I've heard that from vet students too. It just happened that a few of the really interesting-sounding lectures I'd have to leave halfway through.

 

[SummerTheLynx]

I have gone to the ophthalmology conference and the derm conference. The ophthalmology one I do not remember very well given that it was a good 5 years ago that I went. The derm conference (in Arizona) I attended this year. I thought it was super informative, I loved each of the lectures I went to, and I learned a fair amount. My sister was very interested in the leishmaniasis lecture since she currently is treating a leishmaniasis dog. I thought a lot of the ringworm stuff to be fairly informative. I also loved the allergy presentations there.And the case studies, as the last lecture, was a great way to end it all. Overall I would highly recommend attending the derm conference if anyone gets a chance!!

 

[LetItSnow]

More important: Rate the eye candy at each conference.

 

[Caia]

More important: Rate the eye candy at each conference.

Well?

 

[Caia]

Also, anyone that has been to the ACT conference...I would love love love to hear from you!

 

[LetItSnow]

Well?

Well what? I'm waiting.

Since I spent a few days of last NAVC with @dyachei I think I'm going to opt out from rating the eye candy. That's a damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don't type of scenario.

 

[Caia]

Well what? I'm waiting.

Since I spent a few days of last NAVC with @dyachei I think I'm going to opt out from rating the eye candy. That's a damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don't type of scenario.

Smart, very smart.

 

[dyachei]

Well what? I'm waiting.

Since I spent a few days of last NAVC with @dyachei I think I'm going to opt out from rating the eye candy. That's a damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don't type of scenario.

I would have laughed if you had rated people near me, then joined in

 

[Caia]

Well what? I'm waiting.

Since I spent a few days of last NAVC with @dyachei I think I'm going to opt out from rating the eye candy. That's a damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don't type of scenario.

Care to share about NAVC?

 

[dyachei]

Care to share about NAVC?

I can share a little. You get to learn the newest science from the top minds in their specialties. At NAVC specifically, there are so many tracks and you can choose what benefits you most. Small animal, large animal, and exotics. There are usually a couple different courses in each track at the same time. If you can't find one that interests you, you go visit the exhibit halls. This is where vendors tell you about their products or innovations. There are a LOT of free goods here. Including text books and prize entries. Conference attendance includes lunch usually. I think that the networking is unparalleled. However, the courses and CE might not be that useful unless your school isn't as up to date or strong in those areas.

 

[battie]

I've been to the APVMA symposium twice and they were pretty good. The trips as a whole were worth the money because our school groups had a blast with the trips to and from. I was hoping to go this year even though I am not in undergrad any more, but I cannot do the price of registration (since it went up) and the drive up there. :/

 

[allieh8607]

I've never been to any conferences but my VBMA chapter is sending me to the national VBMA conference in January since our president can't go and I am so excited! It's the same time as NAVC and also in Orlando so when I'm done with the VBMA stuff over the weekend I'm going to attend NAVC for a few days during the week

 

[dyachei]

I've never been to any conferences but my VBMA chapter is sending me to the national VBMA conference in January since our president can't go and I am so excited! It's the same time as NAVC and also in Orlando so when I'm done with the VBMA stuff over the weekend I'm going to attend NAVC for a few days during the week

I'm going to NAVC again this year. PM me if you want to meet up at all

 

[Trilt]

I really like conferences, go to a lot, and as an exotics-focused student I've learned a lot outside of our curriculum by attending them. Even if they're lecturing on topics that we cover (and we honestly get a good bit of exotics in the curriculum), I feel like even more than in SA practice, different vets and different regions can have super duper different approaches to different disease states in exotics.

Recently(ish), I've been to: NAVC '13 & '14, Tennessee Exotics Symposium '12 & 14, AVMA '14, SAVMA '13, the Special Species Symposium at Penn ('14), AEMV/ARAV/AAZV '14 and then a couple local ones like North Carolina's vet conference, our state wildlife society's conference, and Phoenix Landing's wellness retreat (a veterinary focused conference from the big parrot rescue).

I'm happy to answer any particular questions people have - of the batch, I strongly, strongly recommend the Special Species Symposium for exotics people (it was FABULOUS, and I'm probably going again this year despite Ithaca being a pita to get to), and then I also have really enjoyed NAVC every year. If you're in the region, the Phoenix Landing event was also really neat, and I love love love Asheville.

 

[orca2011]

I really like conferences, go to a lot, and as an exotics-focused student I've learned a lot outside of our curriculum by attending them. Even if they're lecturing on topics that we cover (and we honestly get a good bit of exotics in the curriculum), I feel like even more than in SA practice, different vets and different regions can have super duper different approaches to different disease states in exotics.

Recently(ish), I've been to: NAVC '13 & '14, Tennessee Exotics Symposium '12 & 14, AVMA '14, SAVMA '13, the Special Species Symposium at Penn ('14), AEMV/ARAV/AAZV '14 and then a couple local ones like North Carolina's vet conference, our state wildlife society's conference, and Phoenix Landing's wellness retreat (a veterinary focused conference from the big parrot rescue).

I'm happy to answer any particular questions people have - of the batch, I strongly, strongly recommend the Special Species Symposium for exotics people (it was FABULOUS, and I'm probably going again this year despite Ithaca being a pita to get to), and then I also have really enjoyed NAVC every year. If you're in the region, the Phoenix Landing event was also really neat, and I love love love Asheville.

I'm hoping to maybe go up to Ithaca this year too, so maybe I'll see you there! It'll be nice to actually partake in wet labs and attend lectures instead of just all the behind the scenes work.

 

[LetItSnow]

I've never been to any conferences but my VBMA chapter is sending me to the national VBMA conference in January since our president can't go and I am so excited! It's the same time as NAVC and also in Orlando so when I'm done with the VBMA stuff over the weekend I'm going to attend NAVC for a few days during the week

Awwwww. That's how I've gone the last three years (as prez-elect, prez, and then outgoing). It's been a blast. Too bad I'm on rotations or we could have put together a mini-SDN meet.