Veterinary business program undergoes changes
The Veterinary Management Institute is getting an overhaul nearly 24 years after the program began.
This executive program started out as a collaboration between Purdue University’s Krannert School of Management and the American Animal Hospital Association in 1990. Since that time, there have been more than 700 participants.
But the two entities parted ways in 2013 after Purdue faculty informed AAHA they would not renew the contract. Now, AAHA is joining forces with Colorado State University to offer a new version of the executive-level management program.
AAHA and Purdue made the announcement Nov. 25, 2013. As part of the new collaboration, the first of three live, on-campus sessions will run Jan. 30-Feb. 1.
The program offers 83 hours of continuing education over 10 months and will consist of the three in-person sessions plus monthly virtual classes, work groups, and discussions. The program is designed for veterinary professionals who are looking to become practice leaders and who are already well-versed in practice management. This applies to practice owners and particularly practice managers, said Kate Spencer, communications manager for AAHA.
Colorado State President Tony Frank said, “This move to offer the prestigious Veterinary Management Institute through Colorado State University leverages the strengths of our top-ranked veterinary medicine program and College of Business to benefit veterinary professionals and communities across the country.”
Topics to be covered include strategic decision making, financial management, services marketing, inventory and demand management, supervision and conflict management, and strategic entrepreneurship. Students will work with professors from CSU’s business college, professionals who have led or consulted with successful veterinary practices, and experts who have served with Fortune 500 companies.
A certificate of completion will be issued by the VMI, and the program will qualify as a course for the CSU Online Professional MBA. However, the curriculum for this new program is being resubmitted for approval as certification to sit for the Certified Veterinary Practice Manager program, Spencer said. She added that they are in the process of getting this program approved.
Registration after Jan. 10 (the deadline for early registration) will cost $6,250 for AAHA members and $6,750 for nonmembers. Previous VMI students will receive special pricing for the program. For more information, visit aahanet.org/education/VMIReg.aspx.
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