AVA Annual Conference

4 AVA Annual Conference | 2018 Conference Handbook | #AVAConference AVA President’s Welcome AVA President Dr Paula Parker Welcome to the 2018 AVA Annual Conference! The AVA conference is the highlight of my calendar every year. The 2018 AVA Annual Conference is a credit to the dedicated Scientific Committee, the team of AVA staff, all of the AVA Groups, members, volunteers and industry supporters who have worked tirelessly to make this event a success. The team has put together an impressive line up of speakers and thought provoking plenaries for our 2018 annual conference. The richness and diversity of the program reflects our organisation and our profession. I am particularly looking forward to the VetEd talks, the many panel discussions and hearing from our Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Mark Schipp to discuss the state of our fight against AMR. We are lucky that some of Brisbane’s best venues are right on our doorstop and the team have been at it to make sure that we have plenty of opportunities to catch up while enjoying the very best of the Brisbane foodie scene. Between group dinners, happy hours and alumni events I hope you get the opportunity to re-connect, meet new people and let your hair down. When you are planning your conference, please come to the dinner on the last night. This is my favourite dinner of the year, full of the best people, the worst dancing and the most delicious food. I can’t wait to see you at the conference! Convenor Dr Sally Colgan A note from the Convenor Welcome to the AVA Annual Conference. Each year we try to deliver a scientific program that is world-class, exciting and stimulating. The conference committee, your SIGs and the AVA team work hard from August to May to put this together. In 2018 we introduced some changes to the conference format that will hopefully enhance your overall conference experience. Mini-workshops on Wellness and Resilience will run within the body of the scientific program. “VetEd Talks” short 10-minute sessions giving eight members the opportunity to present on a topic which they are passionate about to inspire and entertain you. We’ve also kept some favourite items - please join us at the Member Forum where James O’Loghlin is back (by popular demand!) to facilitate this valuable session in our calendar year. The scientific program is always varied and covers relevant and important issues that we vets face in our dynamic, exciting and often challenging profession. We hope the week provides you with a balance of stimulating CE and fantastic social events. A great conference is only great if we, the organisers, deliver on content and opportunity, and you, the delegates, participate and enjoy. On behalf of all those involved in organising this year’s conference, we hope it’s an enjoyable week that’s educational, inspirational and fun. It is also my last conference as convenor and I thank the AVA for providing me with this opportunity for the past five years. I would particularly like to thank my colleague, Dr David Beggs, for his invaluable help and support during my time as convenor. It’s been an interesting role and meeting those people who are passionate about the Association, the profession and our continuing development who make this such a fabulous conference has been immensely rewarding and enjoyable. I wish Dr Sue Beetson, the new convenor, all the best for the coming conferences! Special thanks to the AVA Conference Program Committee Dr Sally Colgan – Convenor Dr Sue Beetson (AVA’s Board Representative) Dr John Baguley Dr David Beggs Dr Meredith Flash Dr Geoff Golovsky Dr Melanie Latter Dr Jacqui Ley Dr Stephen Yeomans Anne McCotter AVA Events Team Kandy Musgrave, National Events Manager & Conference Secretariat Lucy Rhodes | Stephanie McGuinness | Alison Daykin | Sarah Gilbert