Committee Spotlight: Advanced Continuing Education
Dr. Katie Mullen is a Board-certified Large Animal Internist currently dividing her time between private specialty practice at Littleton Equine Medical Center in Littleton, CO and pursuing a postdoctoral fellowship in veterinary informatics in the Translational and Integrative Sciences Lab at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is a graduate of the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, where she also completed her residency training.
What motivated you to volunteer with the ACVIM, or how did you first get involved with the organization?
I first started volunteering for the ACVIM in 2022 when I joined the ACE committee as a LAIM Liaison. I got involved because I had attended two ACE courses – Equine Cardiology in 2016 and Equine Neonatology: Advanced Approaches for the Critically Ill Foal in 2019 – and found them to be both highly educational and a great opportunity to connect with colleagues. I wanted to be a part of planning future courses and play a small role in the continued success of the ACE program.
Could you describe the work of the committee and how this work contributes to the overall mission/goals of the ACVIM?
The ACE committee helps to develop Diplomate-focused and Resident-focused continuing education offerings throughout the year in various formats including in person, live virtual, on demand and hybrid supporting the education mission of the organization.
As the chair of this committee, what responsibilities and duties do you undertake?
It has been my absolute pleasure to chair the ACE committee. In doing so, I get to work with the dedicated and supportive ACVIM staff, colleagues from across specialties who graciously volunteer their time to work on the committee, course leaders who are experts in their fields, and our generous sponsors who help make the courses possible. My duties are to support the liaisons and ACVIM staff during course planning. It is very easy because everyone is so excited to develop new course offerings (e.g., Advanced Equine Neurology, an in-person and on-demand course launched last fall) and continuously improve fan-favorites such as Large Animal Candidate Boot Camp and North American Neuroscience Course (aka Brain Camp).
Can you share a successful collaboration story that highlights the positive impact of teamwork within your committee?
It is difficult to pick just one story! I am so proud of the work that the ACE committee does to support the educational mission of the College. The whole process from brainstorming ideas for new courses, to identifying potential course leaders, to developing course agendas, to launching the offerings is a team effort. Of course, none of this would be possible without the dedicated ACVIM staff who support the committee every step of the way.
How has your involvement with the ACVIM and chairing this committee personally enriched your professional experience and contributed to your growth in the field of veterinary internal medicine?
Getting to work with wonderful colleagues from across the ACVIM specialties has been the most enriching experience. ACVIM Diplomates are so generous with their time and willingness to contribute to developing educational opportunities for Candidates and Diplomates. It is truly inspiring to get to work alongside such talented individuals.
What advice would you give to other Diplomates considering volunteering with the ACVIM?
I would definitely recommend it! Volunteering is definitely worth it. The ACVIM staff is very supportive and understanding that Diplomates have a lot of demands on our time! Volunteering is a great way to connect with colleagues, make new friends, and contribute to the learning experience of Candidates and our fellow Diplomates.
Looking ahead, what are your aspirations for the committee and its impact within ACVIM? Are there any upcoming projects or goals that you are particularly excited about?
In 2024, the ACE committee developed and offered over 230 CE hours of new, impactful ACE programming enabling members to earn over 40,000 ACE CE credits. Over 1,500 members have participated in ACE courses led by 80 top expert speakers and instructors. These courses earned an overall ACE program satisfaction rating of 98.98%. In 2025, we were able to offer 10 courses in 6 specialties and looking ahead to 2026, we are planning an exciting lineup of courses. As we look forward to 2026 and beyond, I am most excited that ACVIM remains committed to providing in-person learning opportunities for Candidates and Diplomates. Connecting face-to-face and learning together is one way that we can continue to build and support our specialist community. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the ACE committee.