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I hope all of you are getting exited to participate in the 5th International Symposium of Veterinary Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy in Minneapolis this August! I am convinced that it will be a terrific time to learn more, exchange fruitful ideas and meet old and new friends! I would like to take the opportunity to greet all the persons on the Symposium organising committee who are putting so much energy and effort into making the 5th Symposium a splendid one!
As for our organisation, The International Association of Veterinary Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy, we are happy to have noticed an increased interest in its activities. Our intention is to have the organisation legally and administratively formalised before the start of the Symposium. The last administrative issues are currently been handled. Believe it or not- there are more to it than just wanting to share an interest and wanting to exchange information when starting a not for-profit educational multi-professional international organisation!
Our plan is to hold our first business meeting during the Symposium and there will be time scheduled for this in the program. The meeting will include information regarding the organisation bylaws, ethical policy and membership requirements. Just to give you some pre-hand information, the objectives of the organisation is "to provide for the association of persons engaged in the practice, teaching, or research in the area of veterinary physical rehabilitation and therapy for the presentation and discussion of items of common interest, to further scientific investigation, and to upgrade the specialty of veterinary physical rehabilitation and therapy in order to provide better patient care based on sound scientific study for the betterment of animal health and well being". There will be three classes of memberships; active members (entitled to full access to all information and one vote on each matter submitted to a vote of active members or the entire organization), associate members (entitled to full access of all information but shall not be entitled to vote on matters submitted to a vote of active members) and honorary members (entitled to full access to all information but shall not have voting rights).
During the business meeting there will also be an election of its new Board of Directors. To get a smooth procession of the Board of Directors work, half of the seats will be voted for and half of the present board will remain. Thus, there will be a voting for President-Elect and three members on the Board of Directors, with one of them willing to serve as a treasurer. There will be an opportunity for you to nominate people, both by sending the present Board of Directors an e-mail, as well as nominating at the meeting.
Before the initial business meeting, there will be an opportunity to become a member - more information concerning the membership issue will soon be posted on this webpage. Active membership will be opened to veterinarians, physical therapists and veterinary technicians with a university or college degree (or equivalent degree) and with an active interest in veterinary physical rehabilitation and therapy. Associate membership will be opened to veterinary technicians, physical therapist assistant, or other licensed health care professional (such as physician or nurse) with an active interest in veterinary physical rehabilitation and therapy.
After the administrative parts of the meeting will have been conducted, there will be time for a brainstorming session, discussing the short and long term plans for the organisation. Topics to discuss can be the formalisation of "working groups", the structure and maintenance of the website, how to promote further scientific investigations, education issues, ways of exchanging information, formation of a database, and interest in starting a journal. Those of you with ideas on what to discuss and input on what the organisation should focus on are more than welcome to contact me or any other member on the Board of Directors!
Take care and hope to see you all in Minneapolis in August!
On behalf of the Board of Directors,
Anna Bergh
Date: Auguest 8th, 2008
Time: Noon - 1:30
Location: the Hyatt Recency Hotel
- Opening of the meeting
- Election of the Chairman for the meeting
- Election of the "Minute-taker" for the meeting
- Election of two "Revise-and-sign-the-minute-persons"
- Introduction and organizational update
- Proclamation of missions and bylaws
- Economic report and membership fees
- Nomination of candidates to the Board of Directors
- Board election:
- One President-Elect for 2 years (selected from the Board of Directors)
- One treasurer for 4 years
- Two members of the Board of Directors for 4 years
- Plans for the next two years and formalisation of working groups such as;
- Economy and PR (the treasurer is responsible for the summon of the group)
- Website and ethical questions
- Science and education
- Symposium
- Database
- Journal
- Others
- Open discussion
- Closure of the meeting
| Anna.Bergh@afys.slu.se (Anna.Bergh@afb.slu.se) |
Anna Bergh, Sweden |
| Amanda@animaltherapy.co.uk (Amanda@animalphysio.co.uk) |
Amanda Sutton, United Kingdom |
| May.Romer@tiscali.nl | May Römer-Bartels, Netherlands |
| rehab@forpawsrehab.com (forpawsrehab@comcast.net) |
Amie Lamoreaux Hesbach, USA |
| boneplate@aol.com | Darryl Millis, USA |
| N.Stubbs@uq.edu.au | Narelle Stubbs, Australia |
| David-Levine@utc.edu | David Levine, USA |
| lmcgonagle@envisagesystems.com | Lin McGonagle, USA |