PDF Letter

Hello ,

Welcome New Members to the AAVLD!

Thank you for joining the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians and welcome to our organization! AAVLD membership now totals about 1000, with members from more than 32 countries worldwide. Recent infectious disease outbreaks that rapidly move around the world in both animal and human populations, prove the necessity of laboratory diagnosticians working together for maximum response capabilities. We are so happy you have joined AAVLD!

The following are among the benefits and resources AAVLD provides to its members.

Website at www.aavld.org: The members-only portion of the website contains past issues of the newsletter, meeting minutes, committee lists and communications, meeting announcements, news, archived chat rooms, a searchable directory of members and a great deal of information on veterinary diagnostics and the organization. During your first visit to the website, if you do not already have your username and password, you can retrieve them by clicking on “Login”, then “Forgot your password?” and request to have them emailed to you. You can also help us keep your contact information up to date by making any necessary changes on the “My Profile” screen.

AAVLD Newsletter: The newsletter is published electronically, monthly throughout the year. All issues include association news and links to information of interest on the AAVLD website, including job listings, upcoming meetings of allied organizations and minutes of the Executive Board meeting. Spring and summer issues include links to annual meeting schedules, registration forms, call for papers, and other miscellaneous annual meeting information. The issue published after the annual meeting contains links to minutes from committee meetings. If you have provided an email address, you will receive the newsletter by email. If you do not have email, you will automatically receive a copy via postal mail. Past issues of the newsletter are available on our website at www.aavld.org. Dr. David Zeman, Executive Director is the newsletter editor and will be happy to receive any suggestions for newsletter items:  [email protected].

Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation: The Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation (JVDI) is the official journal of AAVLD and a subscription is included with your membership (except Associate members). Six issues are published per year, every other month beginning in January. All issues of the JVDI are available online in both full text and PDF. To access JVDI, log in to the AAVLD website with your username and password and then on the JVDI tab at the top of the home page. The editor of JVDI is Dr. Grant Maxie [email protected]. Beginning January 2022, the JVDI becomes eco friendly, and will publish on-line only (no more paper copies, saving trees and plastic). You will receive e-alerts when the journal is published, as well as sneak previews.

AAVLD Discussion List: You can be part of an on-line email discussion list where members post questions and   have colleagues assist with their expertise. To join the listserv, send an email notice to: [email protected]. You may choose to turn your E-List notification to “On” by going to www.aavld.org go to “My Profile,” select “My Features” and then select “E-List.” Here you may choose which E-List you would like to subscribe to. AAVLD is working on adding specific E-List and Forums dedicated to specialties. If you have questions or request to add to an E-List or Forum, please contact David Zeman, Executive Director. Be sure to send your E-List subscription message   from the email address you plan to use in the future. If you have difficulty accessing the discussion list, please contact Reda Ozuna at [email protected].

Annual Meeting: The AAVLD annual meeting is held in conjunction with the United States Animal Health Association (USAHA) annual meeting, in October/November each year. Our sister organization, the USAHA, is composed of state and federal animal health officials, veterinarians and livestock producers. Its goal is to control livestock diseases in the United States. Your AAVLD membership qualifies you for reduced meeting registration fees and registration entitles you to attend the committee meetings and scientific sessions of both organizations. Note: In order to receive the Annual Meeting discount, you are required to be an established AAVLD current member. All committee meetings except the AAVLD Accreditation Committee, Executive Board are open to all registrants. Committees of both organizations vary in scope and meeting format, with activities such as presentation of scientific and discipline-based materials, pre- conference symposia, options for diagnostic testing, and policy and procedures. Resolutions regarding animal disease control programs and policy are developed jointly by the AAVLD and USAHA and help guide policy by the USDA.

The AAVLD portion of the meeting typically begins with pre-meeting specialty symposia, sponsored by AAVLD committees before the start of the official meeting. Then multiple concurrent scientific sessions from all diagnostic disciplines are held, along with Committee Meetings. The AAVLD Foundation Banquet and Auction is a great opportunity for networking, fun and food. The AAVLD Plenary Session brings a host of invited speakers to address hot topics in veterinary diagnostic medicine and health management. A joint AAVLD / USAHA Presidents' dinner and Awards Ceremony is a highlight event, with networking and recognition of our colleagues' accomplishments. The House of Delegates (HOD) of AAVLD meets twice at the annual meeting to consider business of the organization. The HOD meetings are open for anyone to attend. Each US State, each Canadian province, Mexico and Puerto Rico each have one voting representative.

A New Members’ Orientation Session is held early in the meeting, and you are encouraged to attend. An invitation will   be sent out to all new AAVLD members prior to the meeting with details on time and location. This is a great opportunity to meet some of the AAVLD leadership, learn about the role of the association and how it functions and to have a free drink! For more information regarding the Annual Meeting program go to the AAVLD website.

Committees: AAVLD goals are achieved through its volunteer members and committees. We strongly encourage you to join one or more committees and get involved. If you are interested in joining a committee, please contact the committee chair directly (listings can   be found on the website or in the directory) or just show up for the first time and introduce yourself. The committee minutes are available on the members-only side of the website a n d   will give you an idea of the current activities of the committee. The chair recommends new members to the President for approval after the annual meeting. A number of committees have ongoing activities via email or phone throughout the year. The list of committees and their members appears in the front of the AAVLD directory that is published early each year, as well as on the web.

AAVLD has added a new feature in the AAVLD website called “Committee Management.” This feature enables Committee chairs to communicate with committee members on agendas and relevant topics. You will have committee member-only access to committee correspondence   and   specific   committee   documents. Note: Only AAVLD committee members have access to this feature!

Who do you contact if you change your address, phone, fax or email or have questions on your due's status? The Secretary/Treasurer’s office maintains the official AAVLD membership list that is used for mailing the JVDI and other business of the organization. The contact is Reda Ozuna [email protected] or phone 559-781-8900. The best way to update your information is through the “My Profile” page of the AAVLD website (www.aavld.org).

Information of interest to our members: AAVLD maintains an electronic distribution list in order to inform members in a timely matter of topics of particular interest. If you provided an email address upon joining the AAVLD, you will be automatically added to this list. A variety of notices are sent to this list monthly.

Again, thank you for joining the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians!

Sincerely,

David H. Zeman, Executive Director On behalf of:

Ashley Hill, Chair of Membership Committee, and AAVLD Vice- President