As I write my final President’s Column, it’s hard to express what an honor it has been to serve as El Presidente of the AVMA over the past year.
Yes, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to create challenges for us all. But it has not deterred us from putting our best foot forward in service to the animals entrusted to our care, the people who rely on veterinarians for our professional guidance and caring hearts, and to the environment we all have an obligation to protect. We can all celebrate that accomplishment, and each one of you is a part of that success. It’s important that we continue to promote One Health and to remain focused on cultivating relationships and working collaboratively with other global veterinary associations and intergovernmental entities to support public health, animal health, and animal welfare around the globe.
As I think about the AVMA’s efforts over the past year, there are a few accomplishments that I want to highlight. To begin, I am proud of our shared commitment to better reflect the communities we serve through our ongoing, multifaceted diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. We are making important progress across the profession to enhance DEI and help veterinary professionals become better allies in support of equitable treatment for all.
The wellbeing of veterinary professionals is another one of the most important issues facing our profession. The AVMA remains focused on supporting the wellbeing of the entire veterinary team, and we continue our efforts with many new resources to address this complex topic.
And, foundationally, your veterinary association continues to diligently advocate on behalf of the profession. The AVMA remains committed to leveraging our world-class advocacy efforts and ensuring that we serve you in the most effective way. We continue to work with Congress and regulatory agencies to ensure veterinary viewpoints are heard and to strengthen every aspect of the veterinary profession.
Highlighting all we have achieved over the past year would require more space than this page allows. In the year ahead, I look forward to continuing my service to the AVMA as your immediate past president. I extend my best wishes to our incoming AVMA president, Dr. Lori Teller, as she leads our profession forward.
Gracias, and thank you for all that you do. I’m honored to be part of such a strong and dedicated profession.
José Arce, DVM
