Basic framework for AVMA's strategic plan

The AVMA Strategic Plan, initiated in 2006, is designed to guide the nation's largest veterinary membership group on profession-related issues. The following five critical areas of issue have been identified as well as a basic framework for addressing them:

Advocacy: AVMA, through its members and leaders, is committed to being a leading force and advocate on veterinary-related issues in local, state and international legislation and regulation.

» Improve veterinary medicine's ability to lobby effectively at state and federal levels.

» Educate stakeholders on key issues through the use of contemporary communications techniques.

» Make AVMA policies more relevant and accessible to staff, leadership, AVMA members and the public.

» Engage the broadest possible base of support in AVMA's governmental-relations activities.

» Increase size and optimally leverage AVMA Political Action Committee dollars to advance the association's federal legislative and regulatory goals.

Veterinary work force: Critical shortages in veterinary work force, infrastructure and resources are identified and solutions developed in collaboration with key stakeholders to ensure that national veterinary needs, including those with global implications, are met.

» Identify critical shortages in the veterinary work force, infrastructure and/or resources.

» Develop solutions to critical shortages in the veterinary work force, infrastructure and/or resources.

» Implement solutions in collaboration with key stakeholders.

Education: The AVMA Council on Education accreditation process is the premier standard for veterinary medical education globally.

» Ensure continual improvement and best practices in AVMA's accreditation process.

» Maintain Council on Education leadership and visibility in international veterinary education.

» Ensure AVMA's foreign graduate certification program remains rigorous and in step with accreditation standards.

» Promote the value of AVMA's educational accreditation programs.

» Develop direction for the future of veterinary medical education in collaboration with key stakeholders.

Animal welfare: AVMA is a leading advocate for and an authoritative, science-based resource on animal welfare.

» Integrate and expand AVMA's science-based knowledge on animal welfare.

» Engage AVMA leaders to empower the AVMA to become a resource and advocates on animal welfare.

» Strengthen the AVMA's position as a primary resource for the veterinary profession and key stakeholders about animal welfare.

» Engage the broadest possible base of stakeholders and advocate AVMA's positions on animal welfare.

Economic viability: The veterinary profession's economic viability and sustainability is evaluated and strengthened within all segments.

» Develop measures of economic viability and sustainability.

» Expand the development and strategic use of veterinary economic data.

» Strengthen the demand for veterinary services.

» Increase the productivity and efficiency in delivery of veterinary services.

» Increase the number of graduate veterinary technicians in the United States to meet veterinary service needs.

» Eliminate non-market-based pay inequities in the profession.