AVMA Strategic Plan 2012-2015
American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)
Published by the American Veterinary Medical Association
Smashwords Edition
Copyright 2011 American Veterinary Medical Association
Smashwords Edition, License Notes
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Table of Contents
Introduction
Guiding
Values
Mission
Vision
AVMA
Core Competencies
Goal:
Strengthen the Economics of the Veterinary Profession
Goal:
Catalyze a Transformation of Veterinary Medical Education
Goal:
Promote Animal Welfare
Goal:
Advance Scientific Research and Discovery
Goal:
Enhance Membership Participation and Engagement
Introduction
“Life’s
challenges are not supposed to paralyze you,
they’re supposed to
help you discover who you are.”
Bernice Johnson Reagon
The AVMA 20/20 Vision Commission wrote in its recent report that, “The next decade is likely to usher in the most significant changes in the AVMA’s history – changes that are being driven by unprecedented globalization, remarkable technological advances and socio-economic changes.” Clearly, the AVMA and its leadership must meet those challenges. AVMA all too well understands the significance of these coming changes and has prepared this strategic plan to address the highest priority strategic issues facing the profession and the ensuing transformation of the association.
Since its founding, supportive members, dedicated volunteer leaders, and committed staff have been the backbone of the AVMA. In 2013, the AVMA will celebrate its 150th anniversary as the nation’s largest veterinary medical membership organization – serving over 80,500 member veterinarians currently – and perhaps the most recognized veterinary association in the world. This important milestone will bring with it an opportunity to celebrate the many successes and contributions the veterinary medical profession makes to both our nation and the world. While we plan for celebration, however, we must, at the same time, continue to conceive and construct an evolving strategic plan that lays the foundation for addressing the most critical, contemporary issues affecting veterinary medicine.
AVMA’s vision for the future, its five major goals and their respective objectives are listed in this strategic plan. This strategic plan is constructed to take advantage of the association’s core competencies, build new competencies and advance the veterinary profession to better serve society.
Guiding Values
Values are an association’s guiding principles. The AVMA values integrity, inclusiveness, unity, compassion and science-based medicine. These values are strongly embraced throughout the organization, guide the association leadership and are timeless.
Mission
The mission of the American Veterinary Medical Association is to improve animal and human health and advance the veterinary medical profession.
Vision
Building on this mission, the AVMA is committed to the following VISION to guide this strategic plan:
The
American Veterinary Medical Association engages
and empowers
its members
to be the premier authorities and leaders in
veterinary medicine.
AVMA Core Competencies
A core competency is what an organization does well. AVMA has a number of core competencies that provide a foundation for strategic planning and drive the development of tactics to achieve strategic goals. On this basis, five core competencies have been identified:
AVMA
Core Competencies:
Serving
the needs of member veterinarians
Serving
as the voice of, and advocate for, the veterinary medical profession
and the welfare of animals
Serving
as a science-based information resource for the veterinary medical
profession and the public
Setting
and preserving professional standards
Maintaining
the highest standards in association management
Serving
the needs of member veterinarians
The
AVMA is a member-driven organization
that
is
focused on providing high-quality services and benefits that fulfill
the needs of the broadest possible number of veterinarians. The AVMA
Group Health and Life Insurance Trust (GHLIT) and Professional
Liability Insurance Trust (PLIT) are available only to members and
provide complete insurance protection tailored to the veterinary
profession. Also for members, AVMA’s online Veterinary Career
Center provides valuable professional employment information and
resources. Research into pet demographics, consumer attitudes,
veterinary compensation, and veterinary business measures all help
guide individual decisions of veterinarians. Member benefits through
partnerships with other entities increase the value of AVMA
membership. Offering the broadest educational program in the
veterinary profession, the AVMA Convention serves the dual purpose of
helping veterinarians achieve the highest levels of professional
knowledge and providing a diverse forum for veterinarians to share
perspectives and learn from one another.
Serving
as the voice of, and advocate for, the veterinary medical profession
and the welfare of animals
This
core competency includes representing the Association at professional
meetings and conventions; producing public outreach products and
efforts (including client information brochures, Web site content and
educational materials); and developing media outreach activities; The
AVMA is the voice of, and leading advocate for, the veterinary
profession. The AVMA serves its members at local, state,
federal and international levels. At the federal level, AVMA’s
Government Relations Division and policy-development divisions
(Animal Welfare, Education and Research, Membership and Field
Services, and Scientific Activities) interact with governmental
agencies (ie, executive and legislative branches) and nongovernmental
organizations regarding animal health and welfare and public health
issues. On behalf of members, the AVMA continuously monitors,
reviews, and responds to federal legislation and regulatory proposals
that impact the profession and the practice of veterinary medicine.
The AVMA Legislative and Regulatory Affairs Department provides
support to state and local veterinary medical associations on
legislative and regulatory proposals that impact the veterinary
profession on a state and local level.
Serving
as a science-based information resource for the veterinary medical
profession and the public
This
core competency is derived from efforts by all areas of staff and
volunteer leadership. Examples of actions and services supporting
this core competency include publishing two highly regarded
scientific journals, the Journal
of the American Veterinary Medical Association and
the American
Journal of Veterinary Research.
Also, the AVMA
establishes and maintains science-based policies regarding animal
health and welfare and public health issues. Model legislation
created by the AVMA and adopted through the Association’s advocacy
function impacts state and federal legislation and regulation
affecting the profession. The AVMA develops and promotes significant
resources for the profession and the public including backgrounders
and FAQs, in online venues, print, video, and via electronic
newsletters, with information on many animal-related topics and
issues of importance.
Setting
and preserving professional standards
This
core competency is preserved by the generation of a broad array of
AVMA professional policies. The AVMA is responsible for the
profession’s Principles of Veterinary Medical Ethics. The AVMA
Council on Education continues to be the premier, international
standard for the accreditation of veterinary medical programs
accepted by all states and used as a model for veterinary education
accreditation in other countries. The AVMA Committee on Veterinary
Technician Education and Activities sets the standard for the
accreditation of veterinary technician education programs. The AVMA
Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates evaluates the
professional
competence of graduates of non-AVMA/Council on Education-accredited
colleges of veterinary medicine. The
American Board of Veterinary Specialties establishes and evaluates
criteria for recognition of veterinary specialty organizations.
Maintaining
the highest standards in association management
The
AVMA recognizes and honors its professional and ethical
responsibilities to its members. By interfacing with the larger
association management community and regularly incorporating
best practices in association management, the AVMA is seen as a
leader in achieving excellence in association management.
Accountability, responsibility and fiscal stability are paramount to
maintaining the Association’s value, credibility and role in the
future of the veterinary profession and its service to AVMA
membership.
AVMA is dedicated to achieving excellence in its operational
functions that are at the core of its strong foundation for
membership services, publications, communications, information
technology, finance and accounting, human resources, and other vital
business management responsibilities of the association.
“Vision
without action is a daydream.
Action without vision is a
nightmare.”
-Japanese Proverb
Goals and Objectives
Strengthen the Economics of the Veterinary Medical Profession
Strengthen Veterinary Practice Profitability and Financial Wellbeing
Goal Statement: The veterinary medical profession’s economic growth and profitability are improved within private veterinary medical practice.
Objectives:
Identify
and promote production efficiencies in the delivery of veterinary
services that will enhance profitability
Encourage
the use of business models that emphasize clinical services and
client experience
Improve
veterinarians’ business management skills that will enhance
profitability
Promote
the value and utilization of credentialed veterinary technicians
within the veterinary healthcare team
Enhance Veterinary Medical Workforce
Goal Statement: Veterinary employment opportunities are identified and solutions developed to effectively balance the needs of society with the supply of veterinarians.
Objectives:
Assess
national veterinary workforce supply and demand to identify
veterinary employment opportunities
Identify over-served and
under-served market segments and develop effective solutions
Identify
opportunities outside the traditional professional work
areas
Advocate
for effective recruitment strategies that match veterinary college
student enrollment with societal and professional needs
Promote
and nurture increased diversity, including cultural, ethnic, gender,
and racial representation, within the veterinary workforce
Catalyze a Transformation of Veterinary Medical Education
Goal Statement: In collaboration with AAVMC and other organizations, the AVMA promotes the development of a sustainable and affordable educational model that graduates competent veterinarians who meet the practice, scientific, global societal, and workforce needs of the 21st century.
Objectives:
Improve
efficiency and decrease costs of veterinary medical education through
a variety of methods, such as promoting the utilization of shared
veterinary medical educational resources
Support innovations in
professional curricula to prepare graduates who are competent and
confident in clinical practice upon graduation.
Promote
development of recruitment strategies and admission requirements that
consider societal needs and workforce skills such as communication
skills, teamwork, critical thinking, problem solving, creativity,
business acumen and leadership
Develop educational resources to
inform pre-veterinary and veterinary students about managing the
financial obligations of attaining a veterinary medical
education
Support efforts to identify sustainable, and financially
stable veterinary educational models to support the veterinary
medical profession.
Promote Animal Welfare
Increase Utilization of Veterinary Services
Goal Statement: The public’s knowledge of the value and importance of animal well-being and the critical contribution of regular use of veterinary services to animal well-being are enhanced.
Objectives:
Achieve
a high level of wellness for animals by implementing a strategy that
orients veterinary practitioners toward preventive care and
encourages animal owners to utilize veterinary services
Research
the decline in utilization of veterinary services in relation to the
strength of the human-animal bond (with applicability to various
animal species and uses) and the value of animals to
society
Implement
a strategy to heighten public awareness of animal health (physical
and psychological) and disease, ensuring that veterinarians are
highly visible and consistently viewed as the authority on
animal-related issues
Promote Veterinarians as Authorities and Advocates for Animal Welfare
Goal Statement: AVMA is a leading advocate and an authoritative resource for animal welfare.
Objectives:
Advocate
for animal welfare education to be an essential component of
veterinary curricula and continuing education
Promote the AVMA’s
Principles of Animal Welfare to the profession, other stakeholders,
and the public to provide a consistent and unified message on animal
welfare
Lead initiatives that advance AVMA’s policies on animal
welfare issues
Develop and implement public information campaigns
that promote veterinarians as leaders and authorities on animal
welfare
Advocate Oversight of Veterinary Medical Procedures
Goal Statement: The veterinary profession retains oversight of veterinary medical procedures to protect animal health and welfare, and public health.
Objectives:
Inform
the public of the importance of veterinary oversight for veterinary
medical procedures.
Support and develop models, in consultation
with state associations, for legislation and regulations that require
veterinary oversight of paraprofessional training and
paraprofessionals’ performance of designated veterinary medical
procedures
Develop and advocate a nationwide program of state
legislative issues and build coalitions to assist in its
implementation
Advance Scientific Research and Discovery
Goal Statement: AVMA supports the promotion and appropriate funding of veterinary scientific research and discovery to ensure the advancement of veterinary medical knowledge.
Objectives:
Promote
greater awareness of the need for sustained and adequate research
funding
Advocate for increased federal funding for animal health
and welfare research
Coordinate public/private partnerships to
advance research and increase funding
Advocate for research to
support evidence-based medicine
Support and promote the One Health
initiative
Support increased exposure of veterinary students to
the value of research
Enhance Membership Participation and Engagement
Goal Statement: The AVMA enhances participation and engagement of its membership through the creation of a culture of inclusion, transparency, and community.
Objectives:
AVMA’s
structure and processes:
engage
increased and diverse membership participation at many levels of
interest and capacity
ensure
transparency and accountability on association policies and
procedures
improve
organizational foresight, planning, responsiveness, and flexibility
AVMA’s
organizational culture:
promotes
a strong sense of mutual respect, community, and unity within the
veterinary profession
approaches
change and uncertainty in a bold, collaborative, and innovative
manner
AVMA’s
programs and services:
ensure
that the needs of a unique and dynamic membership are continuously
assessed and customized by ongoing scanning and analysis to identify
and act on issues and challenges affecting AVMA members
support
strong leadership development within the AVMA, state veterinary
medical associations, and allied constituent associations.
strengthen
relationships between AVMA, recent veterinary college graduates,
state veterinary medical associations, and veterinary medical
colleges
“Nothing
stops an organization faster than people who believe that
the way
you worked yesterday is the best way to work tomorrow.”
Jon
Madonna
Connect with the AVMA Online:
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