MSU VDL welcomes inaugural Diagnostic and Client Services Veterinarian (DCSV) 

On January 17, 2023, Dr. Rachel Whitesell, DVM joined the Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory as the Lab’s inaugural diagnostic and client services veterinarian.

Lab News by DHZ

Dr. Brodersen Retires from the University of Nebraska 

Functions of Committees

Committees serve multiple functions that are essential to the AAVLD mission.  This includes dissemination of the latest scientific information that will advance the many disciplines engaged with diagnostic medicine, including:

• technological or methodological advances in the disciplines
• new or changing disease syndromes and how they are detected.
• sharing of one’s expertise and experience with colleagues, students, and trainees
• sharing one’s expertise when called upon to aid stakeholders, and policy and decision makers.
• recognizing excellence in others to encourage ongoing excellence in our disciplines.
• supporting the annual meeting, the organization’s Journal (JVDI), Newsletter and list-serve to ensure good communication, collaboration, training, and cooperation.
• provide leadership to ensure a successful scientific session of their discipline at the annual meeting.

Committees may identify, address, and resolve specific issues related to diagnostic laboratory medicine. Committees may, as a function of their investigation of the diagnostic challenges associated with a particular disease, present scientific and educational data for further discussion within their committee meetings with the expected outcome of reaching a greater level of confidence and understanding of the diagnostic criteria and methodologies that are most appropriate to determine the presence or absence of the disease in question. These outcomes are communicated to the Association membership via their annual committee report.

President Shuping Zhang is pleased to announce that at the June AAVLD Executive Board meeting, the Directors approved the transition of the Diversity Equity and Inclusion Task Force to an AAVLD Special Committee of the same name.  The DEI Task Force was appointed by then President Deep Tewari in 2020.  The task force successfully launched efforts to ensure AAVLD fosters a diverse and inclusive environment.  Led by Cochairs Cat Barr and Amar Patil, the Task Force crafted an AAVLD DEI policy (see below), following a survey and input from the general membership.  Members may have noticed announcements drawing their attention to thought-provoking programs including PBS NOVA’s ‘Picture a Scientist’ and the Davis & Thompson Foundation’s Voices in Pathology series discussion, ‘Asian Voices’. In addition, the business pages of the JVDI will soon contain statements regarding DEI related policies.  Ongoing efforts continue and the transition from Task Force to Special Committee ensures these efforts will continue from year to year. 

 Change of the Methods used for Endocrine Essays