Dear colleagues,

As you may know, the National Examining Board (NEB) is responsible for the administration of the veterinary medicine examination process. Graduates from non-accredited schools must successfully pass a series of examinations, including the Basic and Clinical Sciences Examination (BCSE) in order to obtain a Certificate of Qualification. The BCSE is constructed with the help of veterinary practitioners and veterinary faculty members in Canada and the United States. The rigorous assessment process would not be possible without the voluntary contribution and commitment of these knowledgeable and committed veterinarians.

In this context, the NEB and the Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG) request you, in your capacity as a veterinarian, veterinary specialist or veterinary school faculty member, to consider participation in ONE OR MORE of the 2025 BCSE workshop events, organized by the ECFVG. The 2025 workshop events will be held either in-person or remotely. Please see the following general logistics for each of the three 2025 BCSE workshops:

• Problem Item Notification (PIN): This remote workshop will be held virtually May 2, 2025, with a 3-hour time commitment (9am-12pm CST).
• Item Review: This is an in-person workshop (in Schaumburg, Illinois) from May 30-June 1, 2025. Travel to this workshop would occur on May 29, 2025. This workshop is 3 full days. 

• Form Review: This remote workshop will be held virtually June 4-6, 2025, with each day being a 9am-4pm CST time commitment.

Please see the attached document for specific details on what each workshop involves as far as tasks.

2025 BCSE Workshop Descriptions

Participants must hold a DVM/VMD or equivalent degree; be actively working in or recently retired (within 5 years) from the veterinary profession (e.g., private clinical practice, corporate practice, academia, public practice, government), and during employment in the veterinary profession must have interacted with new graduates (within 2 years) from CVMA/AVMA/Council on Education-accredited veterinary schools/colleges.

We hope you will find it valuable to participate in ONE or MORE of these workshops. Please provide the following information to be evaluated by Prometric and staff based on the amount and type/specialty of subject-matter experts we need for each workshop:

Name:

Workshop(s) you are willing to attend:

Specialty/Area of expertise:

Email address:

Phone number:

Please RSVP with the above information via e-mail ( rcook@avma.org ) regarding your interest in participation by February 18, 2025.

On behalf of the NEB and ECFVG, we thank you for your time and consideration of the examination development process. We look forward to hearing from you. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions about either the NEB program or the BCSE development process.

2025 BCSE Workshop Descriptions

The International Council for Veterinary Assessment is sending a nomination call out for interested veterinarians to apply for one open position on the Assessment Development Committee. The current opening is for the area of Swine. Nominees should have knowledge and experience with swine in the context of private clinical practice and/or practice of veterinary medicine at accredited veterinary schools.

Nominations must be received by April 4, 2025.

More information about this opportunity with the Assessment Development Committee can be found here.

Interested veterinarians or associations are invited to nominate individuals. Self-nominations are also welcome.

My name is Aiman Khattak, and I am a PhD student at the Atlantic Veterinary College (AVC). We are recruiting registered veterinary technicians/technologists (RVTs) to take part in 45-60 min long virtual individual interviews over Zoom (plus, we would ask you to fill out a 5-min demographic questionnaire). We want to understand the unique challenges veterinary technicians face in their workplaces, particularly experiences related to inner conflicts. Our goal is to work toward improving well-being in the veterinary profession.

You are eligible to participate if you are a registered veterinary technician/technologist, at least 18 years of age, and working in clinical practice in Canada.

We aim to interview 25 veterinary technicians, and will have a draw among all participants for 5 gift cards worth $50 each (chances of winnig 1:5). All information you provide is confidential!

If you are interested in participating or would like more information, please contact

Aiman Khattak (akhattak@upei.ca)

This project has been reviewed by the UPEI Research Ethics Board and it complies with Tri-Council guidelines for research involving human participants.

Dr. Stephen Claxton-Oldfield and Ms. Sara MacEachern from Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick would like to invite you to take part in our online survey examining veterinarians’ experiences with unusual end-of-life phenomena (EOLP) in animals – extraordinary things that can happen at or around the time of an animal’s death (e.g., shapes seen leaving the body, a radiant glow surrounding the body, electrical equipment in the hospital/clinic malfunctioning, changes in room temperature). 

Although there is some research to suggest that there may be parallels between animal and human EOLP, to the best of our knowledge, there are no published studies looking at EOLP in animals from the perspective of veterinarians. Therefore, this study will contribute to the literature on EOLP. 

We would greatly appreciate your participation in our survey. The survey will take approximately 15 minutes to complete. The survey, which is hosted on Lime Survey, is voluntary. If you decide to terminate the survey early, your results will be discarded.

The survey can be accessed by clicking on the link below. 

https://limesurvey.mta.ca/index.php/366146

If you have any problems accessing the survey, please email Sara at srmacheachern@mta.ca or Dr. Claxton-Oldfield at sclaxton@mta.ca.

The Manitoba Veterinary Medical Association (MVMA) seeks members to have their names added to the Inquiry Panel Reserve List. To be considered, you must also be willing to serve on an Inquiry panel.

The Inquiry Panel will consist of MVMA members and Public Representatives who will be called upon to participate in a quasi-judicial hearing of complaint matters referred to Inquiry. The Inquiry Panel hears allegations made in a Notice of Hearing against a member.

The length of hearings will vary depending on complexity and the number of witnesses called to testify. Sometimes, hearings are scheduled for more than one day. The MVMA will compensate those who serve on an Inquiry panel at $500 per day ($250 per half-day) for each hearing day.

For more information, or if you are interested in being on an Inquiry Panel reserve list, please contact the MVMA Deputy Registrar, Barb Kryzanowski via email at barbk@mvma.ca 

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Kerri-Rae Millar to the MVMA Council as of January 2025. Dr. Millar will fill the vacancy left by Dr. Gina Bowen under section 6(10). Her term will continue through 2027, and she will serve as past president until 2028.

Dr. Millar has been a mixed animal veterinarian for 17 years. A 2007 graduate of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM), she has practiced at Morden Veterinary Clinic ever since. While her primary focus is large animal medicine, particularly dairy cattle, she also provides care for a diverse range of species, both large and small.

As a member of MVMA Council, Dr. Millar looks forward to addressing the critical issues facing the veterinary profession. She is committed to exploring solutions that support veterinarians in delivering the highest quality care to their patients and exceptional service to their clients.

Welcome, Dr. Millar!

As you know, pets are very important to their people, and this relationship can be even more important when someone is experiencing a difficult or traumatic situation. Dr. Rochelle Stevenson (Thompson Rivers University) is conducting a Canada-wide research study into how pets may help survivors of intimate partner violence in help-seeking and healing, and contribute to survivors’ health and wellbeing more generally. The project is funded by the Human-Animal Bond Research Institute.

The research team is hoping that information shared by survivors during interviews will lead to improved services for both humans and animals in providing safety for all family members and maintaining the human-animal relationship. The research team is asking for your help in letting your clients know about the research by displaying a small poster or a stack of small postcards in your clinic. The small poster (or postcard) lets people know about the research, and invites them to contact the research team for more information.

If you are interested in being sent printed color posters for your clinic, please fill in this short form with your address and the number of posters/postcards you would like. For more information about the project, please contact Dr. Stevenson at rstevenson@tru.ca.

Manitoba veterinarians are reminded that the Beef Cattle Research Council’s (BCRC) Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) webinar for veterinarians is being offered on February 12, 2025. The timing of this webinar could not be more fitting, as Germany detected FMD in three water buffalo on January 10, 2025. These webinars are also recorded for later viewing and many are RACE-approved. The following is a link to the webinar information and registration page: https://www.beefresearch.ca/blog/foot-and-mouth-disease-veterinary-webinar/

Notice from CancerCare Manitoba Re: X-ray equipment

As per provincial legislation, it is mandatory to submit an application for approval to CancerCare Manitoba before installing and using the X-ray unit since CanerCare Manitoba is responsible for issuing radiation shielding requirements. In addition, all X-ray equipment must be registered with CancerCare Manitoba.

1.0 Responsibility of the Owner of X-ray Equipment

1.1 The owner of the x-ray equipment is responsible for the radiation safety of the facility. The owner can delegate radiation safety tasks but not the responsibility. The owner must ensure that the x-ray equipment and the facility where such equipment is installed and used meet applicable legislation and regulations. In addition, the owner must comply with all recommendations to retain ministerial permission to operate x-ray equipment.

1.2 X-ray Equipment Location and Shielding Specifications

1. When a new facility is being designed or an existing facility is being renovated, the owner (or representative) must contact Radiation Protection, CCMB to obtain approval for:

• • The location of the x-ray equipment before proceeding with installation and operation.
  • Shielding specifications required for the x-ray room prior to renovation and/or construction.  X-ray facilities must be shielded such that the estimated radiation doses to occupationally exposed staff and the public will be less than 1 mSv per year.

1. Radiation Protection, CCMB, is responsible for the determination of shielding requirements for a given facility prior to the construction and installation of X-ray imaging equipment.  It is mandatory to contact Radiation Protection, CCMB, CCMBMPX-rayCompliance@cancercare.mb.ca  for the following prior to construction and installation of x-ray equipment:

A Barrier Questionnaire form(s) must be obtained from Radiation Protection, CCMB. This form must be completed and returned to Radiation Protection, CCMB. It will require the following:

1. A floor plan of the facility to include:
2. Floor plan must be to scale.
3. Floor plan must have compass direction.
4. Floor plan must have areas identified beyond the walls, floor, and ceiling of the X-ray room.
5. Beam direction(s).
6. Floor plan must have the location of the x-ray equipment including (but not limited to): x-ray table, vertical image holder, travel limits of the x-ray tube, control room, console, remote switches.
7. Facility name, address, and owner of x-ray equipment.
8. Type of x-ray equipment to include manufacturer and model name.
9. Construction information.
10. Completion of Workload form which is an estimated measure of the radiation output in one week.

1. Once all the information is obtained, Radiation Protection, CCMB, will calculate the shielding requirements.

• • Shielding is calculated so that radiation doses shall be less than 1 mSv/year for persons occupationally exposed and for members of the public. It is based on the workload and surroundings (occupancy) of the X-ray suite(s).
  • A barrier specification letter will be issued to the owner/facility indicating the required shielding for each wall, door, floor, and ceiling (if applicable).  Please note: Vigilance in adhering to obtaining all the required information will minimize construction and operational delays.
  • Radiation Protection, CCMB, will also maintain records of the floor plan and shielding specifications.

1. Shielding Inspection:

A Radiation Protection Officer will conduct an on-site shielding inspection to verify the efficacy of barriers post-installation for the specified X-ray room.  Once approved, by Radiation Protection, CCMB, the walls may be covered with the desired finish.

2.0 PROVINCIAL REGISTRATION OF X-RAY EQUIPMENT

1. Within 30 days after becoming the owner, you must register all x-ray equipment (new or used) with Radiation Protection, CCMB, before it can be operated as per:

• Manitoba Regulation 341/88 R, (12), an X-ray Safety Regulation under the Public Health Act: Manitoba Regulation 341/88 R
• Bill 37, The Radiation Protection Act, (5),  The Radiation Protection Act (gov.mb.ca)

1. Registration of X-ray Equipment form(s) is available from Radiation Protection, CCMB, by emailing: CCMBMPX-rayCompliance@cancercare.mb.ca

1. Once processed, a copy of the completed form will be returned to the owner, along with a CCMB Radiation Protection X-ray Equipment Registration No. label to be prominently posted on the corresponding X-ray unit so that it can be readily identified.  It is important to note, registration relates only to the x-ray equipment and does not indicate approval of a location for its installation or operation or approval of any person to operate it.

1. Registration will remain valid until any of the following occur, at which time a new registration request must be submitted:

• There is a change in ownership of the equipment, or
• The equipment is relocated, or
• The x-ray generator is replaced, or
• The entire x-ray system is replaced, or
• The x-ray equipment is decommissioned and removed.

3.0 PERSONAL RADIATION MONITORING

1. In Manitoba, the owner of x-ray equipment must ensure all operators of x-ray equipment and other personnel who routinely participate in radiological procedures (who are likely to receive a radiation dose in excess of 1/20^th of the dose limit to radiation workers) wear a personal radiation dosimeter.  For information on dose limits for radiation workers, see

Health Canada Safety Code 35

1. Personal radiation monitoring must be established with National Dosimetry Services, Health Canada.  For further information and/or to apply for dosimetry services: National Dosimetry Services

1. Not all classifications of workers will be issued with dosimeters.  Only those staff that have the potential to receive a radiation dose greater than 1 mSv per year.  Contact Radiation Protection, CCMB, for further information.