National Volunteer Week: Thank you, ACVIM Volunteers!

Apr 18, 2022, 15:21 PM by The ACVIM

Happy National Volunteer Week! 🤝 Volunteers founded our college and continue to play a vital role in the work we do at the ACVIM. We're celebrating by recognizing a different volunteer every day this week and highlighting their contributions to our organization. Head to our Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn pages to congratulate our featured volunteers on their hard work!

Interested in volunteering? Submit your volunteer application by April 27th to be considered for 2022 certification-related committee positions!

Volunteer: Raelene Wouda, BVSc(Hons), DACVIM (Oncology), MANZCVS(Small Anim Med), BA(Hons)

Role: Certification Liaison

What do you enjoy most about volunteering with the ACVIM?

"I enjoy making a measurable difference to the future of veterinary specialty medicine and our profession. I volunteered for the role of Certification Liaison, specifically, because I hoped to further improve the process of residency training and certification for not only candidates, but also the sponsoring institutions, program directors, advisors and supervisors. The plan and outcomes I, and the certification staff, have in mind, and the changes we are hoping to implement over coming years, are a massive undertaking, and through this process we are committed to the advancement of the organization and profession."

What inspired you to volunteer originally?

I was originally encouraged to volunteer by Dr. Ruthanne Chun. At that time, I was new faculty at Kansas State University, and volunteering for the ACVIM seemed an ideal opportunity to fulfill the service component of my new position, as well as gain some further understanding of the machinations of the ACVIM, which I thought might be valuable in advising and training residents.

How has volunteering with the ACVIM influenced your career path or professional development?

"I continue to serve as a volunteer for the ACVIM because I truly enjoy contributing to the organization and profession through my roles, and also because I continue to learn a great deal in doing so. Beyond gaining further insight into the organization, and helping to advise students, residents and interns, volunteering for the ACVIM has provided me the opportunity to really make a difference to the profession; to sit on task forces, panels and boards that are dealing with the really tough challenges our profession is currently facing. It has also opened new professional avenues, not simply in administration, management and leadership, but even facilitating research projects, which may not have been possible without my experiences working with the ACVIM."

Volunteer: Yann Queau, DVM, DACVIM (Nutrition)

Committees: Nutrition Exam Committee

What do you enjoy most about volunteering with the ACVIM?

"Volunteering with the College is rewarding in several aspects. You meet, work and get to know better some colleagues who share the passion for veterinary medicine and the specialty. Yet, with their different work experience and professional or cultural backgrounds, they have a diverse and complementary approach to solving the challenges lying ahead, or to driving the vision for the future of the profession. It gives you new perspectives, which can sometimes help you in your daily work. Besides this learning and networking aspects, I have enjoyed over the past years the concrete impact that you can bring to the College when working in a committee. We are all striving to maintain and improve the standards of our specialty, and help the future generations to take it even further. By volunteering in committees, you can actively safeguard things that contribute to excellence, and help change things that need to evolve."

How has volunteering with the ACVIM influenced your career path or professional development?

I" have learned a lot in the recent years, both from my fellow College volunteers as well as from the undertakings in the different committees. Serving in the credentials and exam committees have probably contributed to my continuous education over the years, by reviewing so many clinical cases and exam questions! Discussions with fellow Diplomates are always rich and enlightening in that regard. But beyond that, I have learned a lot about leadership, listening, and driving the engagement of people around. We are all very busy with our day job, and getting everyone to attend additional meetings or spend additional hours on key, yet time-consuming projects, can require motivational skills! We also benefit from a diversity of experiences and opinions in the membership – a true asset to address challenges or build the future – yet you need to reach a decision that everyone is on board with… all of this helps you grow and develop skills that are valuable in most work environments and careers!"

What advice would you give to someone interested in volunteering?

"Don’t be shy! Volunteering does take some time and energy, but this is a unique opportunity to contribute to the shaping of our specialty, for today’s Diplomates and tomorrow’s generation. And meeting new colleagues and learning new skills is always rewarding!"

Volunteer: Carly Patterson, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM)

Committees: Previous: Education & Research Committee (ERC); Current: SAIM Credentials Committee

What do you enjoy most about volunteering with the ACVIM?

"I enjoy meeting Diplomates in different locations and different practice settings. I’ve forged new professional relationships thanks to volunteering with ACVIM. I also enjoy working with my ACVIM liaisons for their diligence and sense of humor!"

How has volunteering with the ACVIM influenced your career path or professional development?

"I’ve met a lot of wonderful, hard-working people across specialties, locations, and practice types. I’ve received valuable advice about crafting my career trajectory. I look forward to reuniting with them in-person at the Forum, as the “hallway” conversations have provided some of the most pertinent insights! Most importantly, I have several role models achieving success in the profession, which greatly influences and provides a clear vision for my future planning."

What advice would you give to someone interested in volunteering?

"I recommend an open mind and willingness to listen- there is so much to be gained from colleagues with various levels of experience and overall institutional knowledge. However, I also encourage fresh perspectives and thinking outside the box when tackling issues, especially when working as a committee."

Volunteer: Cona Anwer, DVM, DACVIM (Neurology)

Committees: Membership Committee

What do you enjoy most about volunteering with the ACVIM?

"It gives me the opportunity to step out of my bubble as a clinician and understand what the greater needs of the specialty community are."

How has volunteering with the ACVIM influenced your career path or professional development?

"In my brief experience so far, I’ve been able to network with other specialists and understand more of the business and managerial aspects of our profession. This has helped me with everyday decisions in my own practice as well as thinking about where the future of veterinary medicine is going."

Who is a fellow-volunteer who inspires you and why?

"Dr. Stephanie Kube is my boss and an inspiration. Not only does she run the business, work as a clinician, take care of her family, and volunteer on various committees, she does it with grace and integrity. She is the kind of successful woman I aspire to be."

What advice would you give to someone interested in volunteering?

"Put yourself out there and go for it! Even if you think you have nothing to offer, remember that everyone has a unique perspective that the ACVIM can benefit from."

Volunteer: François-René Bertin, DVM, MS, PhD, DACVIM (LAIM)

Committees: Previous: LAIM Case Report Committee; Current: Education & Research Committee (ERC)

What do you enjoy most about volunteering with the ACVIM?

"Volunteering for the ACVIM is a great opportunity to work with a diverse group of people who genuinely aim to take the College further. Being Chair of the ERC has allowed me to engage with a wide range of individuals from junior academics to established private practitioners and dedicated ACVIM staff members. This wealth of experience and constant push for improvement really make it enjoyable to contribute to the ACVIM mission."

What inspired you to volunteer originally?

"Becoming a Diplomate of the ACVIM was a dream come true as a young French horse vet. This status has allowed me to travel the world and I now train my own residents and lead my clinical research lab in Australia! It was therefore very natural for me to give back to such a great College that truly enables you to go 'as far as you want to go.'"

What advice would you give to someone interested in volunteering?

"Start early and do not overcommit! Regardless of your specialty, your experience, or your background, you can always contribute to the mission of the ACVIM. Being on committees is a great way to develop a solid network of peers and build leadership skills. Some committees require more work than others, and having a good understanding of the expectation is critical. Also, do not hesitate to reach out to people who currently volunteer in the roles in which you are interested; they will be more than happy to share their experience with you."

Volunteer: Rebecca Saunders, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Cardiology)

Committees: Cardiology Specialty Exam Form Review Committee, Specialty Medicine Awareness Committee

What inspired you to volunteer initially?

"After finishing my residency, I was eager to participate in an active way within the college as a newly-boarded specialist, and volunteering was a great way to do that. The ACVIM has many volunteering opportunities that allow you to choose the role you want to fulfill on a given committee as well as the time commitment you are able to achieve on a monthly/yearly basis. This flexibility made my decision to volunteer easy!"

How has volunteering with the ACVIM influenced your career path or professional development?

"Volunteering with the ACVIM has given me the unique opportunity to network and collaborate with other specialists around the country in each branch of Internal Medicine early in my professional career. The time and effort spent on ACVIM committees has reaffirmed my passion for the career I’ve chosen and solidified my interest in continuing to play an integral part in guiding the future direction of specialty veterinary medicine."

What advice would you give to someone interested in volunteering?

"We all went into specialty veterinary medicine to make a difference in the lives of our patients and clients. Volunteering with ACVIM is another way to provide our expert knowledge, time and compassion to those that need it, off the clinic floor. Whether it’s editing scientific articles or reviewing exam or credentials material, any time commitment can make a difference and fuel a passion for even more involvement!"