Have you been frustrated that there are no fish vets near you? Well, here’s a way you can help to change that!
For more than 10 years, WAVMA has developed many programs to serve the discipline of aquatic veterinary medicine, advancing the profession for the betterment of animals, society at large, and the world we live in. Two of the programs that focus specifically on veterinary students are the WAVMA Aquatic Veterinary Student Externship List and the John L. Pitts Aquatic Veterinary Education Awards Program.
The Education Awards Program’s goal is to assist veterinary students and new veterinary graduates in becoming more involved with aquatic veterinary medicine by providing financial support for activities that broaden their understanding of the varied career opportunities within the field. Since its inception in 2010, the Program has awarded over $38,000 to 58 veterinary students and recent graduates from 37 colleges and universities across 4 continents. These funds, which have come from a small number of individuals and organizations, have helped recipients participate in externships at public, private, and academic institutions and attend conferences, workshops, and short courses all over the world, as detailed in the attachment. We need your help to ensure the Program is sustainable and continues to grow.
The Program was started to honor the late John L. Pitts, DVM, who was passionate about student involvement in the profession and a global approach to aquatic veterinary medicine. His service to the profession began as a veterinary student in 1969 when he helped create a national chapter for the Student American Veterinary Medical Association. John also helped in the formation of the National Association of State Aquaculture Coordinators, the Aquaculture and Seafood Advisory Committee of the AVMA, and he worked tirelessly to shape and encourage the passage of the Minor Uses and Minor Species Act of 2004. To continue John’s vision, a small all-volunteer committee comprised of individuals representing private practice, academia, past recipients, WAVMA student members, and the Pitts family work to administer this program.
From the number of applications that are received each year and the remarkable quality of the applicants, it is clear the Program is filling an important need and making a difference in the lives of people who are shaping the future of aquatic veterinary medicine. We have accomplished a lot. With your help we can do more.
Your donation to the John L. Pitts Aquatic Veterinary Education Awards Program will make a difference. Please help us expand the number of students who are finding their place in the global field of aquatic veterinary medicine.
To make a donation and to learn more about this exciting program, please visit PittsEduAwards-Admin.
Yours sincerely,
Chris Walster BVMS MVPH CertAqV MRCVS
WAVMA President 2015
Nick Saint-Erne, DVM, CertAqV
Certified Aquatic Veterinarian
WAVMA President 2016
