The University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine (UTCVM) hosted the Continuing Education Annual Conference for Veterinarians and Veterinary Technicians on January 20-22, 2017 at the Mariott in Knoxville, Tenn. The Continuing Education conference provided 20 CE credits for veterinarians and 89 CE credits for veterinary technicians, with offerings for both large and small animals.
In the equine section, the main focus was on practice management for ambulatory type practices, with considerable discussion of finances. The general session was also on practice management, including a variety of topics from inventory to how to sell your practice. The small animal sessions focused on gastrointestinal diseases and the invited speaker’s topic was dermatology. From UTCVM’s faculty in large animal, the information was on fractures in cattle, practice tips for veterinarians, and colic.
The conference kicked off Friday morning with a General Session on “Practice Management” with Dr. Byron Farquer, Distinguished Coughlin Visiting Professor. Dr. Farquer covered such topics as: improving profitability and how that affects practice value; what role products play in veterinary practice; and what factors can undermine the credibility of even the most skilled veterinarians in the eyes of clients, and how to address these factors.
Friday’s afternoon session in the Small Animal Program included presentations by Dr. Jacqueline Whittemore, UTCVM Internal Medicine and Distinguished Coughlin Professor. Dr. Whittemore covered “Friends, enemies, and frenemies of the gut: steroids, antiplatelet therapies, antibiotics, probiotics, and synbiotics.”
Also on Friday afternoon, Dr. Mark T. Reilly, Distinguished Coughlin Professor, covered Large Animal Equine Practice Management. His presentations focused on Profits, Business Decisions, and Key Performance Indicators.
Friday afternoon’s sessions also offered USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Veterinary Service Accreditation Modules, led by Dr. Todd Duenckel. Dr. Duenckel is the USDA APHIS Veterinary Medical Officer for eastern Tennessee. Duenckel completed his Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science from the University of Louisiana Lafayette, and graduated from the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine in 1991. After joining APHIS in 2003, Dr. Duenckel became an alumnus of the University of Tennessee with a Masters of Public Health degree.
On Friday evening Dr. Rebecca Gompf, UTCVM Cardiology, presented Cardiology Case Studies. Gompf has been the veterinary college’s only board-certified cardiologist for most the college’s history, and has trained every veterinary student in cardiology the past 38 years. Dr. Gompf is Professor in Small Animal Cardiology at UTCVM.
Saturday’s Small Animal Program sessions continued with presentations on dog castrations, imaging-special procedures, small animal dentistry, tips and tricks of practical cytology, diseases of the nose and toes, and Methicillin resistant Staphylococci.
Saturday morning’s Large Animal Program continued with the focus on Equine Practice Management with Dr. Mark Reilly’s presentation on “Marketing Programs That Work” and “Wellness and Senior Plans.” After lunch, Dr. Richard Gerhold, UTCVM Parasitology, presented a “Protozoal Update in Large Animals,” followed by Dr. Meggan T. Graves, UTCVM Equine & Farm Animal Emergency Relief, speaking on “Classic Colic Cases – When to Treat, When to Refer.”
The Veterinary Technicians had a full day schedule on Saturday, starting with the “Top 5 Kitchen Toxins,” “Top 5 Bathroom Toxins,” and “Top 5 Garage and Garden Toxins,” presented by Liz Hughston, RVT, VTS, Visiting Veterinary Technician Speaker. Just before lunch, Hughston concluded the morning session with “Troubleshooting Anesthetic Complications.” After lunch, Hughston covered “Fluid Therapy for Veterinary Technicians,” and finished the afternoon session with “The Long Goodbye: Hospice and Palliative Care.”
The conference concluded on Sunday morning with the Small Animal Program, covering: allergies and treatment strategies for Otitis Externa.
About the General Session Invited Speaker: Byron Farquer, DVM, CVA holds veterinary licenses in California, Montana, Colorado, and Wyoming, as well as real-estate licenses in multiple states. Graduating with a doctorate in veterinary medicine with honors from Colorado State University in 1991, Dr. Farquer was also a Boettcher Scholar. He has completed advanced research projects in equine orthopedics, an externship in equine surgery and medicine, academic program development in swine production medicine, and bovine herd health analysis.
Dr. Farquer frequently lectures at veterinary conferences. With a portfolio of experience that includes hospital ownership, business and real-estate education, and academic honors, Dr. Farquer is a recognized expert in ownership transition planning and practice valuation. He is a frequent national lecturer and author on veterinary business development and structuring, practice financial analysis, asset growth, brand image, and strategic business planning including alternative exit strategies for owners. Find more information about Simmons at: http://simmonsinc.com/
About Mark T. Reilly, DVM, DABVP (Equine): Dr. Reilly is a 1991 graduate of Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine and is certified as a Diplomate by the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (ABVP) specializing in Equine Practice. After years of traveling throughout southeastern Massachusetts for farm calls and working in south Florida during the winters with young racehorses, Dr. Reilly established the South Shore Equine Clinic & Diagnostic Center in Plympton, Mass. in 2006.
Dr. Reilly has spent over 25 years working on competitive horses of all disciplines. He has worked on Thoroughbred and Standardbred racehorses, some of which have competed in and won the Kentucky Derby, the Breeder’s Cup, and the Hambletonian. He has worked on National Finals barrel racers, Olympic level dressage horses and jumpers, as well as companion trail and pleasure horses.
Dr. Reilly’s professional interests include pre-purchase evaluations, lameness/poor performance issues, reproduction, LASER surgery, respiratory disease, diagnostic imaging, preventative health care, and internal medicine.
Dr. Reilly has presented numerous times at the AAEP International Convention; has instructed wetlabs at the Hambletonian Conference; and enjoys lecturing to veterinarians, veterinarians in training, and horse owners.
About Liz Hughston, Med, RVT, DVT, VTS, (SAIM, EDD) from San Jose, California: Liz practices as a relief veterinary technician, trainer, and consultant in the San Francisco Bay Area for both general and emergency/specialty practices. Since her graduation from Foothill College in 2006, Liz became certified as a VTS in both Small Animal Internal Medicine and Emergency and Critical Care in 2012.
Liz is dedicated to advancing veterinary nursing through training and mentorship and is a frequent and sought-after national and international speaker. In 2013, Liz was awarded CaRVTA’s inaugural RVT of the Year Award, recognizing her efforts to improve veterinary nursing in California and beyond. In addition to her relief work and consulting, Liz serves as the President-Elect of the Academy of Internal Medicine Veterinary Technicians. To learn more about Liz or to find her speaking schedule, please visit www.VetTechXpert.com.
About The Coughlin Endowment: Dr. Dennis Coughlin Jr., orthopedic surgeon in Knoxville, Tenn., and his family financially support The Coughlin Endowment, in memory of Dr. Dennis Coughlin Sr. (1890 – 1954). The endowment provides funding for the UTCVM Continuing Education Annual Conference for Veterinarians and Veterinary Technicians. The senior Dr. Coughlin’s career included veterinary practice with the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture and serving as president of the Tennessee Veterinary Medical Association (1940-1941).
View more information about the conference at: https://vetmed.tennessee.edu/ce/Documents/UTCVM_AC2017_Brochure-WEB.pdf
In the equine section, the main focus was on practice management for ambulatory type practices, with considerable discussion of finances. The general session was also on practice management, including a variety of topics from inventory to how to sell your practice. The small animal sessions focused on gastrointestinal diseases and the invited speaker’s topic was dermatology. From UTCVM’s faculty in large animal, the information was on fractures in cattle, practice tips for veterinarians, and colic.
The conference kicked off Friday morning with a General Session on “Practice Management” with Dr. Byron Farquer, Distinguished Coughlin Visiting Professor. Dr. Farquer covered such topics as: improving profitability and how that affects practice value; what role products play in veterinary practice; and what factors can undermine the credibility of even the most skilled veterinarians in the eyes of clients, and how to address these factors.
Friday’s afternoon session in the Small Animal Program included presentations by Dr. Jacqueline Whittemore, UTCVM Internal Medicine and Distinguished Coughlin Professor. Dr. Whittemore covered “Friends, enemies, and frenemies of the gut: steroids, antiplatelet therapies, antibiotics, probiotics, and synbiotics.”
Also on Friday afternoon, Dr. Mark T. Reilly, Distinguished Coughlin Professor, covered Large Animal Equine Practice Management. His presentations focused on Profits, Business Decisions, and Key Performance Indicators.
Friday afternoon’s sessions also offered USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Veterinary Service Accreditation Modules, led by Dr. Todd Duenckel. Dr. Duenckel is the USDA APHIS Veterinary Medical Officer for eastern Tennessee. Duenckel completed his Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science from the University of Louisiana Lafayette, and graduated from the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine in 1991. After joining APHIS in 2003, Dr. Duenckel became an alumnus of the University of Tennessee with a Masters of Public Health degree.
On Friday evening Dr. Rebecca Gompf, UTCVM Cardiology, presented Cardiology Case Studies. Gompf has been the veterinary college’s only board-certified cardiologist for most the college’s history, and has trained every veterinary student in cardiology the past 38 years. Dr. Gompf is Professor in Small Animal Cardiology at UTCVM.
Saturday’s Small Animal Program sessions continued with presentations on dog castrations, imaging-special procedures, small animal dentistry, tips and tricks of practical cytology, diseases of the nose and toes, and Methicillin resistant Staphylococci.
Saturday morning’s Large Animal Program continued with the focus on Equine Practice Management with Dr. Mark Reilly’s presentation on “Marketing Programs That Work” and “Wellness and Senior Plans.” After lunch, Dr. Richard Gerhold, UTCVM Parasitology, presented a “Protozoal Update in Large Animals,” followed by Dr. Meggan T. Graves, UTCVM Equine & Farm Animal Emergency Relief, speaking on “Classic Colic Cases – When to Treat, When to Refer.”
The Veterinary Technicians had a full day schedule on Saturday, starting with the “Top 5 Kitchen Toxins,” “Top 5 Bathroom Toxins,” and “Top 5 Garage and Garden Toxins,” presented by Liz Hughston, RVT, VTS, Visiting Veterinary Technician Speaker. Just before lunch, Hughston concluded the morning session with “Troubleshooting Anesthetic Complications.” After lunch, Hughston covered “Fluid Therapy for Veterinary Technicians,” and finished the afternoon session with “The Long Goodbye: Hospice and Palliative Care.”
The conference concluded on Sunday morning with the Small Animal Program, covering: allergies and treatment strategies for Otitis Externa.
About the General Session Invited Speaker: Byron Farquer, DVM, CVA holds veterinary licenses in California, Montana, Colorado, and Wyoming, as well as real-estate licenses in multiple states. Graduating with a doctorate in veterinary medicine with honors from Colorado State University in 1991, Dr. Farquer was also a Boettcher Scholar. He has completed advanced research projects in equine orthopedics, an externship in equine surgery and medicine, academic program development in swine production medicine, and bovine herd health analysis.
Dr. Farquer frequently lectures at veterinary conferences. With a portfolio of experience that includes hospital ownership, business and real-estate education, and academic honors, Dr. Farquer is a recognized expert in ownership transition planning and practice valuation. He is a frequent national lecturer and author on veterinary business development and structuring, practice financial analysis, asset growth, brand image, and strategic business planning including alternative exit strategies for owners. Find more information about Simmons at: http://simmonsinc.com/
About Mark T. Reilly, DVM, DABVP (Equine): Dr. Reilly is a 1991 graduate of Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine and is certified as a Diplomate by the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (ABVP) specializing in Equine Practice. After years of traveling throughout southeastern Massachusetts for farm calls and working in south Florida during the winters with young racehorses, Dr. Reilly established the South Shore Equine Clinic & Diagnostic Center in Plympton, Mass. in 2006.
Dr. Reilly has spent over 25 years working on competitive horses of all disciplines. He has worked on Thoroughbred and Standardbred racehorses, some of which have competed in and won the Kentucky Derby, the Breeder’s Cup, and the Hambletonian. He has worked on National Finals barrel racers, Olympic level dressage horses and jumpers, as well as companion trail and pleasure horses.
Dr. Reilly’s professional interests include pre-purchase evaluations, lameness/poor performance issues, reproduction, LASER surgery, respiratory disease, diagnostic imaging, preventative health care, and internal medicine.
Dr. Reilly has presented numerous times at the AAEP International Convention; has instructed wetlabs at the Hambletonian Conference; and enjoys lecturing to veterinarians, veterinarians in training, and horse owners.
About Liz Hughston, Med, RVT, DVT, VTS, (SAIM, EDD) from San Jose, California: Liz practices as a relief veterinary technician, trainer, and consultant in the San Francisco Bay Area for both general and emergency/specialty practices. Since her graduation from Foothill College in 2006, Liz became certified as a VTS in both Small Animal Internal Medicine and Emergency and Critical Care in 2012.
Liz is dedicated to advancing veterinary nursing through training and mentorship and is a frequent and sought-after national and international speaker. In 2013, Liz was awarded CaRVTA’s inaugural RVT of the Year Award, recognizing her efforts to improve veterinary nursing in California and beyond. In addition to her relief work and consulting, Liz serves as the President-Elect of the Academy of Internal Medicine Veterinary Technicians. To learn more about Liz or to find her speaking schedule, please visit www.VetTechXpert.com.
About The Coughlin Endowment: Dr. Dennis Coughlin Jr., orthopedic surgeon in Knoxville, Tenn., and his family financially support The Coughlin Endowment, in memory of Dr. Dennis Coughlin Sr. (1890 – 1954). The endowment provides funding for the UTCVM Continuing Education Annual Conference for Veterinarians and Veterinary Technicians. The senior Dr. Coughlin’s career included veterinary practice with the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture and serving as president of the Tennessee Veterinary Medical Association (1940-1941).
View more information about the conference at: https://vetmed.tennessee.edu/ce/Documents/UTCVM_AC2017_Brochure-WEB.pdf
