Progress 08/01/23 to 07/31/24
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience of efforts of this project consists of veterinary students, veterinarians serving designated underserved rural areas of Alabama, and clients that benefit from the services of veterinarians focused on food animal practice in designated rural areas of Alabama. Changes/Problems:Current challenges for the program are getting the rural practice owners engaged in the practice management rotations and registering for the free CE provided by the program. The AUCVM and ALVMA are taking steps to try to engage rural practitioners one-on-one. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Accomplishments intricately linked with professional development. Please see above summary for training and professional development provided to participants. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?In May 2023, Dean Johnson updated the ALVMA board on the grant progress. In April 2023, Mr. Glen Sellers, Clinical Lecturer and Practice Management Director for AUCVM, conducted a summer externship student lunch interest meeting for more than 50 students interested in participating in the rural preceptorship program. An evening Zoom meeting was conducted for four additional students who could not attend the lunch meeting. On June 19, 2023, Mr. Glen Sellers conducted a preceptorship student interest meeting for 16 students interested in participating in the rural preceptorship program. In Jan 2024, Glen Sellers initiated a communication with Mrs. Erin Beasley, Executive Vice President of the Alabama Cattlemen's Association, to discuss a potential meeting with cattlemen and women in the designated shortage areas to understand the challenges better. Conversations are ongoing to determine an agenda and secure a possible meeting location. In March 2024, Mr. Glen Sellers delivered 4 hours of information to practicing rural veterinarians attending the Southeastern Food and Farm Veterinary Summit hosted by the Alabama and Georgia Veterinary Medical Associations. Topics included USDA's and Auburn's commitment to assisting rural practices, mixed animal profitability, mixed animal profitability challenges, and mixed animal salaries. On April 2, 2024, Mr. Glen Sellersand Dr. Clint Neill with Applied Economics and the Farm Journal Foundation discussed career opportunities for students in all classes at the AUCVM with 47 student and faculty attendees. On April 15, 2024, Mr. Glen Sellersconducted a summer externship student lunch interest meeting for 73 students interested in participating in the rural preceptorship program. An evening Zoom meeting was conducted for 6 additional students who could not attend the lunch meeting. The application closed on May 24, 2024. Applications have been selected. On May 21, 2024, Mr. Glen Sellers conducted a preceptorship student interest meeting for 12 students interested in participating in the rural preceptorship program. The application window is currently open for students seeking to apply for the opportunity. The deadline is August 1, 2024. On May 29, 2024, Auburn University and the AL Agriculture Experimental Station issued a press release regarding the grant program and details. On May 30, 2024, Dean. Calvin Johnson; Dr. Melinda Camus, AUCVM Associate Dean for Academics Affairs; and Mr. Glen Sellers attended the Veterinary Leadership Gathering at the invitation of Dr. Brad Harris, President of the ALVMA at the Emerald Coast Veterinary Conference to discuss AL shortage situations. Also in attendance were ALVMA representatives, Drs. Frances Kendrick and Babette Authement; ASBVME representatives Drs. William Berry, Tom Fell, and Ebony Gilbreath (in place of Dr. Tomeshia Hubbard); Tuskegee University representatives Dean Ruby Perry and Drs. Ebony Gilbreath; representatives for the AL State Veterinarians Office, Drs. Tony Fraizer and Misty Edmondson. Glen Sellers plans to meet with the individual chapters of the ALVMA to communicate about the program, current findings, and results. On May 29, 2024, Dean Johnson updated the entire ALVMA board on the grant progress. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The AUCVM will continue to coordinate with the Alabama Veterinary Medical Association (ALVMA), the Alabama Cattlemen's Association (ALCA), and the Alabama State Veterinarian's (ALSV) Office to identify veterinarians in designated rural areas of unmet need. The AUCVM will continue to host career support, opportunities, development, and informational meetings for the target audience of veterinary students, rural practice veterinarians, ALVMA, ALCA, and the ALSV. The AUCVM Practice Management Rotation will continue identifying veterinarians and clinical practices in designated rural areas of unmet need and providing business consultations and assessments. The AUCVM will continue to support the externship and preceptorship opportunities for students to facilitate, connect, and create long-lasting networking opportunities and relationships for veterinarians serving in rural shortage areas with veterinary students interested in working with target species in those geographic areas to enable those students to learn skills and assist veterinarians with providing veterinary care to target species. These opportunities should lead to successful and sustainable careers in food animal medicine.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Since September 2022, the project has supported and provided continuing education at a reduced cost to veterinarians attending the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine (AUCVM) Annual Conference, and the Alabama and Georgia Veterinary Medical Association Southern Food and Farm Veterinary Summit. In October of 2023, registration was paid for 13 veterinary practitioners from separate practices serving in the shortage areas counties of Jackson, Crenshaw, Calhoun, Blount, Etowah, Dale, Covington, Cullman, Marshall, Houston, Geneva, and DeKalb to attend the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine Annual Conference which covered topics in food animal and mixed animal practice. In March 2024, registration was paid for four veterinary practitioners from separate practices serving in the shortage areas counties of Crenshaw, Perry, and Covington to attend the Southeastern Food and Farm Veterinary Summit hosted by the Alabama and Georgia Veterinary Medical Associations. Since September 2022, including the present reporting period, the project has worked to facilitate, connect, and create long-lasting networking opportunities and relationships for veterinarians serving in rural shortage areas with veterinary students interested in working with target species in those geographic areas to enable those students to learnto learn skills and assist veterinarians with providing veterinary care to target species.These networking opportunities and relationships assist graduating veterinarians in transitioning into sustainable careers in underserved rural areas. Since the program's inception, the project has funded six two-week externships for first or second-year veterinary students in 5 different mixed rural practices in Alabama. The six externs spent two weeks networking, building relationships, learning skills, and assisting veterinarians with providing veterinary care to target species in Crenshaw, Marengo, Hale, Covington, and Dale counties. Year 2023 - Location - City - County Luverne Veterinary Hospital, Luverne, Crenshaw Demopolis Animal Clinic, Demopolis, Marengo Greensboro Veterinary Clinic, Greensboro, Hale Countryside Animal Clinic, Opp, Covington Ozark Veterinary Clinic, Ozark, Dale Year - 2024 Demopolis Animal Clinic, Demopolis, Marengo Since the program's inception, the project has funded four eight-week preceptorships for 4thyear-veterinary students in 4 different mixed rural practices in Alabama. The four preceptorship students spent eight weeks networking, building relationships, learning skills, and assisting veterinarians with providing veterinary care to target species in Marengo, Bullock, and Henry counties. Upon completing their preceptorships, all four students sought jobs in rural shortage areas, working with target species in those geographic areas. The project is currently seeking preceptorship applications for Spring 2025. Year - Preceptor Student locations 2023 - Demopolis Animal Clinic, Demopolis, Marengo Co. 2024 Castaway Animal Clinic, Eclectic, Bullock Co. Abbie Creek Animal Hospital, Abbeville, Henry Co. Demopolis Animal Clinic, Demopolis, Marengo Since September 2022, the project has worked to provide quality educational opportunities for veterinary students and veterinary practitioners in business management and practice sustainability by providing a written clinical assessment report to the participating practice owners in rural underserved areas providing veterinary care to target species. This educational opportunity facilitates a capstone academic experience for students interested in working with target species in shortage areas. The grant has provided funding for multiple veterinary students and practice owners to learn from a business consultant (the practice management director) through the process of completing in-depth, on-site practice assessments of clinics in rural areas serving the target species during the practice management rotation. These assessments involved careful on-site consideration of (1) observations of grounds and facilities, (2) case observations and interactions, (3) financial analysis, (4) identification of major themes, and (5) assessment of area demographics. Each on-site practice assessment culminated with a debriefing with the clinic owner(s), where students confidentially discussed the assessment results. The AUCVM Veterinary Practice Management Rotation visited eight veterinary practices in Etowah, Barbour, Perry, Dallas, Crenshaw, Bullock, Dallas, and Perry counties in Alabama with funding provided by the USDA-NIFA grant. Five of the eight clinics visited were provided strategic feedback via a clinical assessment report and student presentations in Dallas, Bullock, Crenshaw, Dallas, and Perry counties. Two clinics are scheduled for clinical assessments before the end of the year. The strategic feedback provided to participating clinics is supported by data collected from the same clinics and is focused on key performance areas for business improvement. Key areas noted as potential opportunities for increased revenue and enhanced profitability and sustainability within these practices included the cost of goods, accounts receivables, inventory control, dropped/lost charges, communication (client and staff), workflow efficiency, and pricing pressures/structures (specifically in professional service areas). Clinic Visits by AUCVM Practice Management Group Date - Clinic - Owner - County 2024.05 - Waters Vet Clinic - Waters - Etowah 2024.03 - Abbie Creek Animal Hospital - Sarah Champion - Barbour 2024.02 - Vet Hospital of Cetreville - Kevin Bolding - Perry 2024.01 - Bryson Veterinary Clinic - Ashley Ward and Brian Watkins - Dallas 2023.08 - Luverne Vet Hospital - Troy Jones and Caitlin Butler - Crenshaw 2023.08 - Companion Animal Hospital - Marsha Cashwell - Bullock 2023.08 - Valley Creek Vet Hospital - Francis Kendrick - Dallas 2023.08 - Marion Veterinary Clinic - Doug Halbrooks - Perry
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Progress 08/01/22 to 07/31/23
Outputs
Target Audience:From September 2022 through June 2023, The Project Director and Practice Management Director met with representatives and veterinarians of the Alabama Veterinary Medical Association (ALVMA) and Alabama Cattleman's Association veterinarians in the designated shortage areas in Alabama to inform veterinarians of the project objectives and opportunities. A combined meeting with the Auburn University student chapters of the Veterinary Business Management Association (VBMA), the American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP), the American Association of Small Ruminant Practitioners (AASRP), the Production Medicine Club (PMC), American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), and other interested student organizations met with the Project Director ad Practice management director to introduce students to rural veterinary practice and discuss the project objectives and opportunities. The ALVMA Food Animal Conference also provided a networking opportunity for rural veterinarians to meet and network with Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine (AUCVM) Students. The Veterinary Practice Management Group (VPMG) has contacted and established relationships with six different veterinary practices in Marengo, Crenshaw, Hale, and Covington counties in rural shortage areas of Alabama. Two veterinary practices are scheduled for business assessments with the VPMG later in the summer of 2023. Other veterinary practices are considering visits by the VPMG. The AUCVM preceptor/extern program placed one eight-week preceptor in Marengo Co in the Spring of 2023 and anticipates the placement of four externship students within veterinary practices in rural areas of Alabama with funding provided by the USDA-NIFA grant during the summer of 2023. These two-week externship in-clinic training are in mixed-animal practices in the counties of Crenshaw, Covington, Hale, and Marengo of Alabama (Table 1). Table 1. Number of preceptors and externs placed with the 2022-2023 period [Preceptors (P) and Externs (E), Names, Clinics, Owner, City, County] Period Year Program Student's name Clinic Owner's last name City County Summer 2023 E Sarah Mason Demopolis Animal Clinic Wright Stuedeman Demopolis Marengo Summer 2023 E Gabriel Sharp Luverne Veterinary Hospital Troy Jones Luverne Crenshaw Summer 2023 E Thad Hunter Greensboro Veterinary Clinic Jason Perry Greensboro Hale Summer 2023 E Cody Davis Countryside Animal Clinic Cheryl Bailey Opp Covington Spring 2023 P Margaret Heath Demopolis Animal Clinic Wright Stuedeman Demopolis Marengo Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?In Spring 2023, this project supported the preceptorship of one AU CVM student in mixed-animal rural practices in Marengo County, Alabama. In the Summer of 2023, the project supports four two-week externships for first and second-year AU CVM students at practices in rural Alabama. The four externs will spend two weeks training at mixed animal rural practices in Crenshaw, Covington, Hale, and Marengo counties in Alabama. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?During 2022-2023, the program director or the practice management director had in-person presentations and networking at the ALVMA food annual conference, the Annual Veterinary Conference at Auburn University, and the ALVMA executive board meetings. On-campus and in-person educational and networking meetings have been provided by the program director or the practice management director for the Auburn University student chapters of the Veterinary Business Management Association (VBMA), the American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP), the American Association of Small Ruminant Practitioners (AASRP), the Production Medicine Club (PMC), American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), and other interested student organizations. Conference calls and emails have been used to directly engage groups of interest, including veterinarians affiliated with the ALVMA and veterinary students at Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Continue to provide continuing education and assistance to veterinary practices in rural areas of unmet veterinary needs in Alabama while offering learning/training opportunities to veterinary students through externships and preceptorships in these practices and regions. To accomplish these goals, we will travel to veterinary practices located in areas of unmet need in Alabama and provide direct assessment and assistance on practice management, focusing on improving service capacity and profitability. Additionally, we will promote and locate Auburn University veterinary students in these practices by offering externship opportunities and preceptorships with them.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Since program inception, this grant has provided funding for networking and meetings with ALVMA and the Alabama Cattleman's Association to establish clinics for the VPMG practice assessments in the designated shortage areas in Alabama to inform veterinarians of the project objectives and opportunities. The VPMG practice assessments allow multiple veterinary students to learn from a business consultant (the practice management director) by completing in-depth, on-site practice assessments of clinics in rural areas serving the target species during the practice management rotation. During fall 2022- Spring 2023, VPMG has scheduled practice assessments in Marengo and Crenshaw counties in Alabama. These assessments involved careful on-site consideration of (1) observations of grounds and facilities, (2) case observations, (3) financial analysis, (4) identification of major themes, and (5) assessment of area demographics. Each on-site practice assessment culminates with a debriefing with the clinic owner, where students confidentially discuss the assessment results. Additionally, the practice management director visited practices in Marengo, Crenshaw, Hale, and Covington counties in Alabama to discuss opportunities for future on-site practice assessments.?
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