AVMA may change its mission

Published on
information-circle This article is more than 3 years old

AVMA leaders are considering changing the Association’s guiding statements to reflect increased focus on advocacy for members, and the Association is accepting member comments.

Dr. Meyer
Dr. Thomas F. Meyer, chair of the AVMA Board of Directors, addresses the House of Delegates during a meeting in July. (Photo by R. Scott Nolen)

The current AVMA mission is to “improve animal and human health and advance the veterinary medical profession.” Under the draft mission, that mission would be to “lead the profession by advocating for our members and advancing the science and practice of veterinary medicine.”

The proposed changes are part of the AVMA’s Strategy Management Process, an effort started earlier this year to ensure the Association remains relevant for veterinarians. Dr. Thomas F. Meyer, chair of the AVMA Board of Directors, said in a July session of the AVMA House of Delegates that the AVMA represents about 78 percent of the U.S. veterinary profession, a decline from about 85 percent seven years earlier, even though overall membership increased.

Dr. Meyer said in a later interview that he was not sure why the percentage of veterinarians represented by the AVMA had declined, but the Association can address member satisfaction by ensuring member engagement and services are at the levels they should be.

John Nocera, the AVMA’s director of finance and business services and part of the staff team involved in the evaluation, said the AVMA needs to evolve to ensure it provides the greatest possible support and value to members.

“As part of that important role, we’ve been working with our members and stakeholders to help set a new course for the AVMA and build the necessary capabilities to ensure we get there,” he said.

The AVMA is asking that members provide their perspectives on the draft mission and a draft vision statement—which indicates the AVMA’s intent to be “the trusted leader protecting, promoting and advancing a strong, unified veterinary profession”—as well as on a draft of core values such as integrity, basis in science, and focus on members.

All the proposals are available at newcourse.avma.org, and members can send comments to smpupdatesatavma [dot] org (smpupdates[at]avma[dot]org).