SAVMA Symposium offers diverse program for career development

Fort Collins, Colo.-Veterinary students across the country willhave an opportunity to get a jump on their careers next month at the 2002Student American Veterinary Medical Association Symposium (SAVMA) on thecampus of Colorado State University as they spend three days tackling medicaland business issues they can expect to see practice.

The symposium, which is set for March 14-16, will offer wet labs on smallanimal, exotics and equine topics as well as pathology and complementarymedicine. Students also will have a chance to participate in lectures dedicatedto the human-animal bond, large and small animal medicine, complementarymedicine, selecting a specialty, client communication and time managementissues.

Students can register for an all-day session dedicated to making a smoothtransition from school to private practice. The program, School to Success:Shaping the Future of Your Veterinary Career, will take place March 14 andfocuses on issues graduates will face as they begin their job search andstart practicing veterinary medicine for the first time. Some of the topicsoffered include: practice ownership/management, job interviewing, negotiatinga first contract, "veterinary care team" strategy, financial managementstrategies for the new graduate, client communications skills and debt managementstrategies.

Also included in the program are three breakout sessions that allow studentsto further discuss specific topics with one another and the speakers.

For more information on the 2002 SAVMA Symposium, go to the SAVMAWeb site at www.avma.org/savma.