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This year has passed quickly and there is so much that every veterinary student can be proud. Everyone’s continued dedication and determination to accomplish another year, gain deeper knowledge, refine clinical skills, and balance work with any other unexpected obstacles that arose in ones’ path, is something to celebrate!
It has been a privilege and honor to be able to represent the SCVMA this past year and to be a representative on CVMA Council. The SCVMA has had many accomplishments from, enriching One Voice presentations, to the highly successful Symposium (and consequentially developing friendships across the nation), to country-wide support for our fellow students after Hurricane Fiona, to SCVMA-sponsored wellness events, and much more. Thank you to the CVMA/SCVMA for allowing me the opportunity to represent my fellow colleagues. I am appreciative of the experiences I have been able to have, as well as the connections I have made with wonderful students and veterinarians across Canada during my time in this role.
I also want to extend a warm congratulations to this year’s graduating class of 2023! Best of luck to all graduates across Canada as they start out in their career, and are able to use their well-developed knowledge and skills to help and uplift the communities in which they work. I hope that your first year out is as enriching, challenging, and thrilling as you hope. Next, I would like to thank my senior SCVMA committee members for their continuous hard work and dedication to their positions, which they held on top of their regular schooling throughout this year. Thank you to Lindsay Gallant (AVC), Adalaïs Gibert (FMV), Andrei Madaras (OVC) and Laura Shaw (WCVM), as well as the junior representatives, Grace Munro (AVC), Alice Cheng (FMV), Mitchel Kvacica (OVC), Sukhjit Sidhu (UCVM) and Bailey Brazeau (WCVM). It was an incredible delight to get to know each of you and work alongside you this past year. None of SCVMA’s events would have been as successful as they were without your commitment, enthusiasm, and perseverance. A huge thank you as well to Janie Racette who kept us all in line and would always provide endless support, encouragement and laughs whenever needed. I hope that I will be lucky enough to work with any of you in the future again!
For all current students and incoming students, I want to remind you that the SCVMA/CVMA is always present to provide resources, offer support, and build relationships for every moment in your continued academic journey (and thereafter). I wish an incredible year to Grace Munro as she starts her year as SCVMA President for 2023–2024; I know that she will excel and will have great success in her upcoming presidential year.
Remember you are all members of the national and international voice of Canadian veterinarians — the CVMA! All the best in the upcoming summer and school year!
Allison Kwantes
SCVMA President, 2022–2023
University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Class of 2024