The AASV has long been praised for its support of students. In fact, part of AASV’s mission is to mentor students, encouraging life-long careers as swine veterinarians. Many members have reaped the benefits during their time as students, and others were integral in developing the programs that have ensured student support, success, and commitment to the swine industry upon graduation.
Today, $15 does not seem to go very far. Unless you consider the $15 veterinary students spend to become student members of the AASV. It may be the best bang for $15 a student can spend.
Communications and connections
Student members receive a subscription to the Journal of Swine Health and Production. For some, this may be their very first issue. They receive the weekly AASV e-Letter, which provides current news of interest to swine veterinarians, including current research abstracts, industry news, position announcements, and AASV information. Students are also able to view and participate in swine case discussions on the AASV-L email list.
The AASV membership directory is available to all members, including students, and contains the most current contact information for AASV members. It can be helpful in making connections to establish mentorship relationships, arrange swine preceptorships, or secure job opportunities.
Educational resources
Student members can use the online Swine Information Library to search swine conference proceedings and JSHAP - more than 16,000 fully searchable papers on every swine topic imaginable. Also included in the Swine Information Library is the online version of the fifth edition of the Swine Disease Manual, published in 2020.
Students can review facilities, pathologies, disease presentations, and more in the AASV photo library and listen to discussions in the podcast library. They can view past webinars, AASV Annual Meeting sessions, and the AASV Early Career Conference in the AASV video library.
Day-1 Competencies for Swine-interested Veterinary Graduates, a checklist prepared with funding assistance from the AASV Foundation, describes the basic, intermediate, and advanced knowledge and skills expected of a graduate veterinarian entering swine practice.
Financial support
The AASV Foundation-Merck Veterinary Student Scholarship program seeks to identify and assist future swine veterinarians with their educational expenses. Second- and third-year students enrolled in AVMA-accredited or -recognized colleges of veterinary medicine in the United States, Canada, Mexico, South America, and the Caribbean Islands are eligible to apply for one of the $5000 scholarships.
The AASV Foundation provides grants of up to $500 to veterinary students who complete a two-week or longer externship in an AASV-member swine practice.
More scholarship opportunities are available in conjunction with the AASV Annual Meeting.
AASV Annual Meeting
The AASV encourages veterinary students to attend the AASV Annual Meeting and offers a variety of activities for students to learn about swine medicine, network with each other, connect with swine faculty, and meet veterinarians and potential mentors.
In addition to free registration, student members who preregister for the conference qualify for a $300 travel stipend provided by the AASV Foundation and Newport Laboratories. Registration includes access to all educational sessions and activities, including the preconference seminars. The Student Engagement Committee promotes several conference activities designed especially for veterinary students, including the Swine Medicine for Students preconference seminar, a vet hunt, a speed networking opportunity for upper-class students, a swine student trivia event, and a student reception.
The AASV Foundation provides opportunities for scholarship awards via participation in the Student Seminar at the AASV Annual Meeting. The Zoetis Foundation provides a $750 award to each of the 15 students whose papers are selected for oral presentation at the meeting. Students who participate in the Student Seminar compete for the $5000 veterinary student scholarship funded by the Zoetis Foundation and a total of $20,000 in additional Elanco-sponsored scholarships ranging from $500 to $2500. Papers not selected for oral presentation are considered for poster presentation (poster participants receive a $250 award from the Zoetis Foundation and AASV), and 15 poster presenters compete for scholarships ($200 to $500) in the Student Poster Competition, sponsored by United Animal Health.
Students also have an opportunity to earn $200 for recording a podcast interview with a speaker at the meeting.
Career and experience resources
The AASV maintains a list of veterinary practices, production companies, and other organizations that host veterinary students for externships and internships ranging in length from 1 week to 3 months.
Veterinary student members considering careers as swine veterinarians might find the AASV Salary Survey particularly useful. It provides insight into the value of professional services provided by swine veterinarians in both public and private practice.
Leadership opportunities
Students are valued and respected members of the AASV. Selected by the Student Engagement Committee, two students sit on the AASV Board of Directors as nonvoting members to provide a student perspective on issues being addressed by the board.
The organization, its leaders, and most importantly, its members, strive to provide exceptional learning opportunities for students. If you have ideas or suggestions to enhance student membership, please consider joining the Student Engagement Committee by contacting the AASV office.
To view the full list of student membership benefits, visit aasv.org/students.
Abbey Canon, DVM, MPH, DACVPM
Director of Public Health and Communications