This weekend, I had the opportunity to attend the Southwest
Veterinary Symposium (SWVS) in San Antonio, Texas. After a
demanding week of clinical pathology case write-ups, preparing for
surgery and pig-wrangling, a few classmates and I made our way
south for a weekend of networking, learning, and relaxing with our
future colleagues. My friends and I agreed we were in desperate
need of a weekend away from College Station. What better way to
spend that weekend than on the Riverwalk, enjoying a surplus of
authentic Mexican food? Like a flashback to elementary school, the
bell rang on Friday afternoon and we were out of there!
SWVS is a unique partnership among fellow state veterinary
medical associations and sponsors. Veterinary associations from
Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Alabama,
Colorado, Kansas, Missouri and Tennessee host this annual symposium
each fall to enrich the veterinary profession with continuing
education courses, corporate exhibits, interactive teaching labs,
and social events. Needless to say, this is a massive event with
thousands of participants from the veterinary community coming
together for the betterment of veterinary medicine.
Throughout the weekend, we were fortunate to attend lectures
with prestigious and renowned veterinarians, many of whom are
considered experts in their respective fields. It's funny, as we
were meeting people throughout the day, it was fairly common to
come across the names of veterinarians we typically see on the
inside cover of our textbooks. These folks are the best of the
best, and it was truly an honor to sit back and think, "Wow...in
less than two years, I will be Dr. so-and-so's colleague." It was
humbling, to say the least.
No symposium is complete without visiting and thanking the
generous sponsors who help make this symposium happen on an annual
basis. We made our way to the exhibit hall and, like most poor
college students, could not wait to get free stuff. I'm certain we
left with more pens, note pads, computer bags, textbooks, and more
candy than you could possibly imagine. But, in all seriousness, we
are grateful for these sponsors and everything they do for our
profession!
Finally, as the symposium began winding down, we were invited to
an awesome social event filled with live music, dancing, and, yes,
more free food! My friends and I met a countless number of
practitioners and technicians from multiple states - each and every
one of them had nothing but positive reinforcement and great advice
for our years to come. To those interested in pursuing a career in
veterinary medicine, always remember to network as much as you
possibly can: you never know, the next practitioner you meet may
have a job opportunity waiting for you!
After a much needed fun-filled weekend, we unwillingly made our
way back to College Station. Weekends like these are confirming
reminders of how privileged we are to be a part of this
extraordinary profession!
Be sure to check out www.swvs.org for more information
about SWVS 2012 in Dallas, Texas!