Career-focused offerings at AVMA Convention have something for everyone

Career-related continuing education (CE) sessions will span the spectrum from personal to professional at AVMA Convention 2025, taking place July 18-22 in Washington, D.C., in conjunction with the 40th World Veterinary Association Congress.

Themed “United for the Veterinary Community,” this year’s convention offers over 700 hours of CE sessions, including several career-focused tracks, along with networking opportunities and one-on-one complimentary career counseling. Consult the full CE schedule for a complete list of career-related programming.

Career-focused tracks

The following are highlights of career-related CE sessions—all times listed are Eastern and take place at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center:

• Dr. Ingrid B Pyka, a two-time TEDx speaker and CEO of VetMatch, will present “Taking Charge: Navigating Financial Choices in Your Veterinary Career” at 11 a.m. on July 18, and then will lead a two-hour workshop, “Reignite Your Passion: Empowering Your Veterinary Career Choices and Personal Life” at 4 p.m. on July 20.  In the July 18 session, Dr. Pyka will explore practical approaches to managing personal finances as a veterinary professional, from effective budgeting to creating a sustainable financial framework. Meanwhile, the workshop aims to provide actionable strategies to help veterinarians who may be feeling “stuck” and uncertain about their future career paths.
• In “Career Pathing Reimagined: Expanding Horizons in Vet Med” by Dr. Megan Sprinkle, host of the podcast “Vet Life Reimagined,” she will share her unique perspective on the evolving landscape of the profession. Dr. Sprinkle aims to divulge how veterinary medicine can be a ticket to diverse career pathways. The session takes place at 1 p.m. on July 18.
• “Unique Career Paths for Women in Veterinary Medicine” will be a live podcast hosted by Drs. Janet Donlin, CEO of the AVMA, and Natalie Marks, CEO of the Veterinary Angel Network of Entrepreneurs, happening at 10 a.m. on July 21. They will discuss their career journeys as female veterinarians choosing the road less traveled—leadership outside of clinical practice—and share what they’ve learned from their missteps and successes.
• “The Road Less Taken (Still Leads Somewhere Amazing): A Vet Tech’s Journey to New Career Opportunities” by Garnetta Santiago, licensed veterinary technician and manager of academic and professional affairs for Zoetis, will examine the power of the pivot and the courage to go beyond the familiar at 11 a.m. on July 21.
• At 8 a.m. on July 20, three panelists—Drs. Shirin Modaresi, Jamie Perkins, and Molly Brinkmann—will share their experiences with navigating pregnancy and parenthood alongside a busy career and then be available for questions.

There are also sessions for early career veterinarians, those interested in academia or owning a practice, and others who are considering relief work or nontraditional veterinary careers.

Beyond sessions, convention-goers will find various resources available to them. The AVMA Career Center is sponsoring the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Photo Lounge near the AVMA Pavilion and is offering AI headshots.

The AVMA Career Center will also be offering a first-of-its-kind Recruitment Guide for job seekers that has job listings from employers who have position openings. Print and digital versions will be available and displayed. Not to mention, the AVMA Career Center will offer complimentary 25-minute career coaching sessions with an experienced veterinary career counselor. Attendees can sign up for the corner from July 18-21.

Finally, job seekers can connect with employers at the AVMA Career Center’s annual Mix & Mingle, happening from 5-7 p.m. on July 18 in Salon GHI. Snacks and beverages are included.

Federal veterinarians

Amid mass reductions in force at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services, including many veterinarians at those agencies, the AVMA is responding to the public sector’s evolving needs.

The AVMA Career Center will host an hourlong Federal Career Transition Reception at 8:30 a.m. on July 20 in Salon F. The dedicated networking hour is designed specifically for veterinarians with a background in federal or government employment, who are considering their next step and interested in connecting with representatives from across the industry. No RSVP is required.

Ahead of the convention, the AVMA's Veterinary Career Services (VCS) team has launched a few key resources for those making an unexpected career transition or looking to translate their federal resume.

Amanda Fark, VCS assistant director, offers tips on translating a federal resume for the private sector.

“Federal resumes are structured differently from private sector resumes,” according to the VCS.

“Using the language and details of your government resume can overwhelm private sector employers and provide irrelevant information.”

Additional educational posts outline actionable steps for federal veterinarians navigating transition and uncertainty, and discuss informational interviews, which is a targeted networking strategy for gathering knowledge and building relationships.

In a continued effort to expand career services for the profession, the AVMA is partnering with national and state organizations, as well as universities, to create the Veterinary Career Community (VCC). Since launching in January, the VCC has grown to over 25 partner career sites and lists over 2,500 available jobs.