CE Update 2013

I’ve always had an interest in surgery and have always sought continuing education on that subject, especially with orthopedics. At the Animal Hospital of Salinas, Dr. Max Kennedy was able to perform simple fracture repairs prior to his retirement, and he left behind all of his equipment when he left. So when I heard about the NAVC Institute taking place in Orlando, FL, I jumped on the opportunity to take an intensive, 5-day course on fracture repair.

The course itself was very well organized and I learned a lot! There were about 40 veterinarians taking this particular course from all over the world. One vet had even traveled from France for this conference! Over the next five days, we learned about the techniques and theory behind fracture repair and we were able to practice these skills in lab.

The last day of the conference was Friday, May 24th. Coincidentally, Disney had recently announced that they would be keeping the Magic Kingdom (along with Disneyland and California Adventure) open for 24 straight hours from 6 am to 6 am to kick off the Memorial Day Weekend. My flight back was not until the next day, so I thought “Why not?” What better way to get back on Pacific time than to pull an all-nighter? So when the conference ended, I made my way to Walt Disney World and the Magic Kingdom. Boy, was it crowded! But I managed to stay in the park until 6 am the next morning. You might ask “Why would you do something like that?” and the best answer I can give you as a Disney fan is “Because they let me.” Having a special event T-shirt that was only available for purchase that day didn’t hurt either.

My ultimate goal is to be able to provide more orthopedic surgery options at the Animal Hospital of Salinas. I still have a lot to learn and I’m hoping that our local surgical specialists will assist me there. Overall, I had a great time and look forward to more continuing education opportunities!

Also, a big special shout out to our former classmate and friend, Dr. Aysha Taff, who filled in for me while I was away. She handled a lot of tough cases with expert care and even worked in an acupuncture appointment. Thanks again!