Jennifer Serling, the Assistant Director of the Veterinary Technology program, recently traveled to Uppsala, Sweden, to speak at the Veterinary European Transnational Network for Nursing Education and Training (VETNNET) conference. The two-day conference took place at the only veterinary school in Sweden, housing both doctorate and nursing programs.
The event kicked off with a pre-conference tour of Uppsala, a university town located outside of Stockholm. Ms. Serling had the opportunity to meet with veterinary nursing educators from various parts of Europe and the United Kingdom. Her conference session covered topics such as Appalachian State's Team-Based Learning program and well-being, as well as an overview of veterinary technology education in the United States.
During the conference, attendees were treated to a tour of the veterinary medical and nursing schools, which featured state-of-the-art facilities and laboratories. On the last evening of the conference, the entire group was invited to savor a traditional Swedish dinner, complete with delicacies like Västerbottenostpaj (cheese pie), Ostkaka (a cheesecake-like pudding), and even a fillet of moose (yes, the animal). This experience provided a valuable opportunity to share the successes and struggles of veterinary technology educators from around the world and to discover that many of the issues faced in the US are similar to those overseas.
Ms. Serling returned from this experience with a much better understanding of education in Europe and a host of new friends and colleagues for future collaborations.
VETNNET conference - Uppsala, Sweden
VETNNET conference - Uppsala, Sweden