Reunited in person and it feels so good!

After hosting 4 wonderful, virtual conferences, it was great to see people in person rather than just a square on the computer. New friendships were made, old friends and vet school classmates were reunited, networking was happening, and education was shared on many different levels. We were so delighted to see many veterinary technician students and veterinary students taking advantage of the continuing education sessions.

I must share with you a funny situation that took place between me and my good friend Dr Ashley Bourgeois (@thedermvet). For months, we had been talking about how we were going to greet each other in person. We planned this whole dramatic entrance of running down the hallway as if we were in slow motion to greet each other in the conference setting. Cut to Fetch Kansas City. I was leaving my hotel room to prepare for my initial meeting with our glorious colleagues and faculty. I even had planned in my head how I was going to purchase some flowers and surprise Ashley. Anticipation was building and I was ready! During my descent down in the elevator, another individual had to hop in. The doors opened and boom—there was Ashley. Months of planning our incredible encounter fell by the wayside. She saw me and said, “This is our grand entrance?!” We couldn’t stop laughing, and it was the perfect icebreaker to a fantastic conference.

Chatting with the attendees, exhibitors, and faculty was truly invigorating.
It was wonderful to have meals with our colleagues versus having a virtual Zoom hangout. Hearing laughter, taking selfies, and exchanging best practices are things that cannot really be enjoyed in the virtual space. And walking through the exhibit hall made me so proud to be in a profession where innovation and technology are front and center in veterinary medicine.

Conferences are full of education and memories. As we try to navigate away from the pandemic, I am so proud of our team who safely and successfully executed our first live event. We are looking forward to our Atlantic Coast Veterinary Conference® (October) and Fetch dvm360® in San Diego (December), and I cannot wait to meet many of you in person. We also have a wide variety of complementary virtual webinars heading your way this fall and winter.

Be sure to follow us on Instagram (@dvm360mag) and LinkedIn (@fetch- dvm360). We look forward to providing you with the best continuing education possible.