Developing yourself through self-reflection and skill development. This day of workshops is set up to support your success in your role - and your long-term career trajectory.

The day will start by exploring the current state of veterinary medicine, definitions and situations impacting your personal mindset and wellbeing, harnessing Compassion Satisfaction to balance tough moments to make you more resilient.

It will progress into evaluating how you position yourself for success through your social persona and personal brand.

Then you'll learn how to negotiate to achieve your goals because, this isn't just a tactic for securing a job or a raise, these same skills can be applied to obtain client compliance, or even getting the team aligned on a new protocol.

Lastly, you will review what happens when communication gets complicated. We’ve all experienced how emotions can factor into whether communication is effective – in better understanding the connection, you will be best able to navigate your career trajectory and personal development.

This workshop is sponsored by the MVTA and MVMA.

Meet Senani Ratnayake, BSC, RVT

Senani Ratnayake has been educating veterinary professionals since 2004 and has received multiple awards for her contributions to veterinary medicine, including the 2021 RVTTC Canadian RVT of the Year and the Founders Award from Dr. Andy Roark’s Uncharted Veterinary Community.

She began her career as an RVT in small animal practice, discovering her niche after recognizing that many of her colleagues chose veterinary medicine because they felt more connected to animals, than people. She used her experiences and knowledge as an RVT combined with her natural way with words, to become a catalyst for change within the industry by founding Motivatum Consulting.

Working in practice, Industry and with a corporate group, she has gained a unique perspective and utilizes these insights to relate to, and engage, her audience. She is currently the Director of Learning and Engagement at Vet Alliance, supporting independently owned Canadian hospitals and their teams. Senani is passionate about the Industry and its longevity, using her voice to be an advocate at any, and every, opportunity.

She actively volunteers in the veterinary industry, is a Past President of the Ontario Association of Veterinary Technicians and was the first non-DVM President of the Toronto Academy of Veterinary Medicine.

From the “how’s” to the “what” and everything in between with in-house cytology! 3.5 CE

RVTs in this lecture and wet lab session will focus on the effective collection, processing and in-house evaluation of cytology samples. Various methods of sample collection and preparation will be reviewed along with a standard method of approach in evaluating and interpreting samples in-house.

Participants will then cytologically evaluate and describe a variety of commonly encountered mass lesions in veterinary medicine with each case being reviewed to discuss potential pitfalls and challenges.

If you are a beginner cytopathologist, or need a refresher, then this course is for you! This hands on lab is limited to 36 attendees and runs only on Saturday. This lab will be combined with the Anesthesia Wetlab and groups will switch between morning and afternoon.

Meet Dr. Angelica Galezowski BSc, DVM, MVetSc, DACVP (clinical)

Born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Dr. Angelica Galezowski attended the University of Winnipeg and after completing her BSc, was accepted into the DVM program at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) at the University of Saskatchewan. She entered a three year clinical pathology residency program at the WCVM shortly after graduation and became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists (ACVP).

Dr. Galezowski joined the Veterinary Diagnostics Services (VDS) pathology team in Winnipeg and three years later, was appointed the diagnostic lead for the clinical pathology laboratory. Dr. Galezowski joined the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Calgary (UCVM) in 2017 where she teaches across all 4 years, including the Clinical Pathology, Pathologic Basis of Disease, Clinical Skills, Professional Skills, and Clinical Presentations courses as well as the 4th year rotations.

Dr. Galezowski has won several teaching awards, including the Carl J. Norden Distinguished Teacher award as well as the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) Teacher of the Year Award in 2022. She has served as a committee member for the ACVP Board Examination Committee for several years. Dr. Galezowski is currently an Associate Professor in Clinical Pathology and the Associate Dean of Student Experience at the UCVM.

This one-day 7 CE introductory course for RVTs on small animal abdominal ultrasound combines both lectures and hands-on scanning of phantoms and sedated animals, including dogs and cats.

Participants will gain essential knowledge in transducer selection, understanding different imaging planes, effective transducer manipulation techniques, proper image labeling, and image capture of key abdominal organs such as the liver, spleen, kidneys, bladder, and the GI system.

The course will also cover the criteria for conducting a comprehensive abdominal scan and discuss the limitations of ultrasound in this context. This lab is limited to 6 RVTs per day and run both Saturday and Sunday.

This ultrasound wetlab is being sponsored by Heska. They were generous to donate the imagine equipment that our participants will be using.

Meet Marla MacKay, RVT

Born and raised in Nova Scotia, Marla is a 1993 graduate of the former Nova Scotia Agricultural College AHT program (now Dalhousie University Faculty of Agriculture). She had the great fortune of working at the Ontario Veterinary College from 1993-2002 and it was there during her time in the radiology department that she received training to perform small animal abdominal ultrasounds.

Today she has come full circle and is an instructor in the veterinary technology program at Dalhousie. She is super passionate about teaching vet techs ultrasound and hopes to ignite the same passion in her students.

This session focuses on optimizing pain management through a practical approach, emphasizing individual patient care. It's a hands-on lab for RVTs to enhance skills in advanced nerve block application for small animals. The interactive session covers drug and block selection, practical treatment options, and uses cost-effective analgesic tools. Participants will also learn how the veterinary team can be patient advocates for better patient outcomes. This lab is limited to 36 attendees and runs only on Saturday. Models and cadavers will be used to facilitate this wetlab. This lab will be combined with the Cytology Wetlab and groups will switch between morning and afternoon.

Thank you to the University of Saskatchewan and the B.J. Huges Centre for Clinical Learning for donating the models that will be used on Saturday and Sunday.

Meet Carolyn Cartwright, RVT, VTS (Anesthesia/Analgesia)

Carolyn is the manager of the BJ Hughes Centre for Clinical Learning at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) and is Program Manager for simulation development in teaching. She is a graduate of the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology (now Saskatchewan Polytechnic).

She has also achieved the Veterinary Technician Specialty in Anesthesia and Analgesia and the RECOVER program. She sits on the board and committees for several organizations, including the Saskatchewan Veterinary Medical Association, Registered Veterinary Technologists and Technicians of Canada, Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, International Veterinary Nurse and Technician Association and a member of the International Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society simulation task force.

She is an active member of the Saskatchewan Association of Veterinary Technologists, Academy of Veterinary Technicians in Anesthesia and Analgesia, the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America and the International Veterinary Nurse and Technician Association.

Personally, she enjoys country life with her husband, has 3 grown children, and a variety of 4-legged family members.

This full-day session offers RVTs the chance to enhance anesthetic management skills, particularly for challenging cases. The focus is on improving patient care, emphasizing pain management, and covering advanced techniques like central IV lines, constant rate infusions, and nerve blocks for small and large animals, including wildlife and exotics. There's also a section dedicated to large animal nerve blocks. This hands-on lab provides various skill practice stations and encourages group discussions on complex cases and alternative management methods. This lab is limited to 18 attendees and runs only on Sunday. Models and cadavers will be used to facilitate this wetlab.

Thank you to the University of Saskatchewan and the B.J. Huges Centre for Clinical Learning for donating the models that will be used on Saturday and Sunday.

Meet Carolyn Cartwright, RVT, VTS (Anesthesia/Analgesia)

Carolyn is the manager of the BJ Hughes Centre for Clinical Learning at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) and is Program Manager for simulation development in teaching. She is a graduate of the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology (now Saskatchewan Polytechnic).

She has also achieved the Veterinary Technician Specialty in Anesthesia and Analgesia and the RECOVER program. She sits on the board and committees for several organizations, including the Saskatchewan Veterinary Medical Association, Registered Veterinary Technologists and Technicians of Canada, Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, International Veterinary Nurse and Technician Association and a member of the International Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society simulation task force.

She is an active member of the Saskatchewan Association of Veterinary Technologists, Academy of Veterinary Technicians in Anesthesia and Analgesia, the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America and the International Veterinary Nurse and Technician Association.

Personally, she enjoys country life with her husband, has 3 grown children, and a variety of 4-legged family members.