25TH NAVC Conference a record-breaking success

ORLANDO, FL — The NAVC Conference celebrated its 25th birthday January 19-23, 2008, with veterinary professionals from around the world and continues to set the bar for extensive, in-depth veterinary continuing education.

“This is my first time attending the NAVC Conference and I will never miss another one,” said Canadian veterinarian Daniel Connell.   “The hardest part of my day is choosing which of the dozens of lectures I want to attend the most, a problem that I have never faced at any other veterinary meeting.”

The 2008 conference offered registrants more than 1,400 hours of continuing education, taught by 420 speakers and instructors at three different hotels.  In addition to the technician and exotic program tracks, the Orlando World Center Marriott hosted 40 veterinary Masterclasses, 12 technician Masterclasses and 20 Meet-the-Professor luncheons.  The Caribe Royale All-Suites Resort housed more than 50 laboratories and there were five off-site offerings.  Half of the lecture tracks and all evening entertainment were at the Gaylord Palms Resort, the NAVC Conference headquarters.  Merial sponsored shuttle buses ran continuously between the conference hotels and seven overflow hotels to bridge the gap.

Attendees could also stay in their conference hotel room and view lectures on NAVC PrimeTime™ if they wanted a quiet place to relax and learn or squeeze in a lecture while getting ready in the morning.  The 10th season of NAVC’s television program keeps viewers up-to-date on conference activities and promotions from the comfort of their hotel room. 

During the five-day conference, 16,051 registrants were checked-in, including 5,988 veterinarians, 1,745 technicians, 711 practice managers/receptionists, 516 students, 3,085 guests and NAVC staff, 77 non-DVMs, 3,799 exhibitors and 130 members of the media.  NAVC set a personal record by processing 14,500 registrants prior to the Saturday Opening Ceremonies. 

“The size and depth of this meeting is remarkable,” said Chris Smith, a small animal veterinarian from Arizona.  “I have a hard time managing my clinic some days, so for NAVC to organize and maintain order for five days at multiple hotels is a feat to be commended.”

Roughly 10% of attendees were international, coming from 71 different countries including Bosnia, Ecuador, Iceland, Jordan, Nigeria, New Zealand, South Korea and the Ukraine.  The international breadth of NAVC was honored in the NAVC Conference 2008 poster commissioned by Jim Wilson of Wildlife Drawings, who drew a collage of animals with at least one native to each of the seven continents.  Spanish-speaking attendees were also treated to a simultaneously translated lecture track each day sponsored by Schering-Plough Animal Health.

Popular for the second year in a row were Dr. Melinda Merck’s forensics lectures and workshops.  Joined by Dr. Randall Lockwood and sponsored by The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®, Dr. Merck conducted a mock trial on January 19 illustrating the role of veterinarians in the prosecution of animal cruelty offenders.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Gill, who headed the federal prosecution of NFL quarterback Michael Vick and U.S.D.A Senior Investigator James Knorr were key courtroom participants.

When attendees were not learning in the classroom, they were strolling through 278,000 square feet of commercial and educational booths in the NAVC exhibit halls.  New in 2008, was the 100,000 square foot pillarless exhibit hall at the Orlando World Center Marriott.

“It was a logistical challenge for our staff and many exhibitors who chose to run dual booths in both exhibit halls,” said NAVC Exhibits Director Donna Gindy, CMP.  “In the end the new space provided companies with more room and allowed others to specifically target their products, especially the technician and exotic animal booths that enjoyed moving to the Marriott where those lectures were held.”

The Marriott was again home to Bayer Central Park, a fun and relaxing retreat for attendees and their guests, complete with beverages, a cyber café, raffles and a FunZone for children.  Children between the ages of 5 and 14 could also enroll in the “Future Vet” program sponsored by the American Veterinary Medical Association and the Banfield Charitable Trust.  The educational camp was designed to teach children about careers in veterinary medicine in an entertaining age-specific format.  “To see my grand-daughter on stage in a white lab coat receiving a stethoscope and honorary diploma brings back so many memories of her father’s graduation from veterinary school 15 years ago,” said one babysitting grandmother.

Saturday’s Opening Ceremonies, partly sponsored by Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc. posthumously honored Mark L. Morris, Jr., DVM, MS, PhD, DACVN, with the 2008 Mark L. Morris, Sr. Lifetime achievement award for his lifelong commitment to improving the health and well-being of companion animals.  Following the award ceremony, attendees put on their “Boogie Shoes” for KC and the Sunshine Band who played crowd favorites and dance hits “Get Down Tonight,” “(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake your Booty” and “That’s the Way I Like It.”

Country music star LeAnn Rimes got fans on their feet Monday night at the Bayer HealthCare LLC sponsored Bayer experience. She soulfully sang “What I Can Not Change,” “Good Friend and a Glass of Wine,” from her new album and belted out “Nothin’ Better to Do,” and “Can’t Fight the Moonlight” from the movie Coyote Ugly.  The 2008 conference ended with food, dancing and music with the “Diamonds Are Forever” James Bond themed Novartis Finale party.

At the NAVC Business Meeting, Don Harris, DVM, an avian and exotic animal practitioner from Miami, FL was sworn in as the 2008-09 NAVC President.  The NAVC also welcomed new board member, Mark Crootof, DVM, a multiple veterinary practice owner, business management consultant and hospital designer/renovator from upstate New York.

“I consider myself extremely lucky to serve as President of NAVC during our anniversary year,” said Jorge Guerrero, DVM, PhD.  “The quality of our speakers and staff coupled with the attention each and every attendee receives makes me proud to be part of this team – NAVC is truly a global leader in the veterinary field.”

The 2009 NAVC Conference will be held January 17-21 in Orlando.  For more information please visit www.tnavc.org, email or call 352.375.5672.