Clayton Mackay, DVM and a past president of AAHA, is running for vice president of the Western Veterinary Conference (WVC). The election will take place at the annual conference, Feb. 15-19, in Las Vegas. Results will be announced at the WVC Annual Meeting of the Members on Feb. 19.

MacKay, a Canadian and the only non-American who is on the board, is a second generation veterinarian and has spent 44 years in the companion animal industry. (He is now a veterinary consultant to industry and practice.) Throughout his career in private practice, at a veterinary teaching hospital, and later in industry, MacKay’s focus has been on education. Couple that with a desire to give back, and the nomination for vice president was natural.

When questioned about the role education plays as veterinary medicine moves forward, MacKay responded, "It’s a new world of continuing education. What it will look like in the future, we’re unsure of. We know technology will play a part, but it’s not the sole answer because people have different ways of learning. So how we deliver that education will always be a blend of technologies and face-to-face experiences.

"The bigger issues are how to provide the best education in the most cost-effective and time-efficient manner. Our audiences are under both financial and time constraints. And now, with the number of women currently practicing, and juggling multiple roles aside from their professional one, we face an even greater challenge. Key, too, is providing ongoing clinical training to new and experienced graduates with skill gaps."

MacKay’s opponent is W. Mark Hilton, DVM, a large animal specialist at Purdue.

WVC members eligible to vote include WVC attendees registered as veterinarians who attend the Annual Conference, On the Road or an Academy Course between Feb. 21, 2014 and Feb.19, 2015.