Materials Guidelines

Titles

Composition

Session titles should be brief but specific. If you will be covering a broad topic, add a few words to your title to narrow down the scope.

Please use title case (capitalize important and longer words; lowercase short words and prepositions).

Length

Session titles should be no more than 80 characters (including spaces and punctuation) per one-hour session. Half-hour sessions should be no more than 40 characters.

Examples

✖ Service Animals
✔ Service Animals: What is the Veterinarian's Role? (49 characters)

✖ Backyard Poultry
✔ Backyard Poultry: Individual Medicine and Surgery (49 characters)

✖ Tracheal Collapse Syndrome
✔ Treatment Strategies for Tracheal Collapse Syndrome (51 characters)

Audience & Level

For each session, please designate which audience(s) and skill/knowledge level(s) the presentation is geared toward. This helps attendees choose sessions that best fit their education and experience.

Descriptions

Length & Composition

Please summarize your presentation in 3-5 bullet points consisting of up to 125 words total. Include a short lead-in sentence if needed for context (see examples below).

Content & Style

• Descriptions should be succinct but detailed enough to give attendees an accurate idea of what will be covered in your session(s).
• Tell attendees exactly what they can expect to learn, while keeping background information to a minimum.
• Third person, future tense preferred.
• Spell out acronyms on first reference unless widely known to intended audience.

Multi-Hour Sessions

Sessions that take up more than a single 60-minute time block can be handled in the following ways:

• Use the same title for each session, but add "Part I," "Part II," etc. The description can either give an overview of all parts or individualized for each hour.
• Break the multi-hour session into separate segments with different titles and descriptions. You may or may not wish to use "Part I," "Part II," etc.
• See below for examples.

48 words:

The Institute of Veterinary Medical Devices (IVMD) approved widgets in 1950, but it wasn't until 2000 that veterinarians began using them. In this session, attendees will learn:

• What widgets are;
• How widgets can help them in their day-to-day practice; and
• Why IVMD prefers widgets over thingies and whosits.

100 words:

A recent study found that 98 percent of people have trouble bonding with their pet fish. Despite attempts to snuggle or take them on walks, most fish refuse to love their owners—some even playing dead to avoid together time. In this lecture, participants will:

• Discover how to overcome brain chemistry that prevents fish from reciprocating owners' love;
• Practice conversing with fish in a way that helps them bond;
• Hear arguments for and against popular bonding activities (e.g., going to the park, taking a train ride, etc.); and
• Learn when not to attempt bonding with pet fish. (Spoiler alert: Pirhanas!)

Multi-Hour Sessions, Option 1:

100-101. Choosing the Best Dog for Your Family

Everyone has a favorite type of dog, but that doesn't mean the breed is a fit for your client's individual lifestyle. In this two-part session, attendees will:

• Learn reputable sources for research;
• Discover the best and worst breeds for would-be pet owners, from low to high energy; and
• Find out what breeds suit any type of owner.

Multi-Hour Sessions, Option 2:

100. Choosing the Best Dog for Your Family, Part I: High-Energy Breeds

Everyone has a favorite type of dog, but that doesn't mean the breed is a fit for your client's individual lifestyle. In the first part of this two-hour session, attendees will learn:

• What breeds are a best fit for a high-energy family
• How to help clients when they make a poor choice

101. Choosing the Best Dog for Your Family, Part II: Low-Energy Breeds

Not every person is energetic and active, and neither are dogs. In the second part of this two-hour session, attendees will learn:

• What breeds are a good fit for would-be owners with low energy or sedentary lifestyles
• How to help clients when they make a poor choice

Biography

Your bio will be included alongside your photo (if submitted) on the MVC website and mobile app. Your session moderator (should you elect to have one) will also use your submitted bio to introduce you.

Please limit the information included in your biography to professional details, such as:

• Post-secondary education, internships, and residencies
• Relevant employment
• Organization memberships
• Awards & recognitions

Biographies should be written in third person.

The maximum length is 200 words. When filling out the form, please re-read your entry before submitting to ensure nothing is cut off.

For examples, please see the 2022 MVC Speaker List.

Photograph

Speaker photographs are encouraged but not required.

Your photo will be included in the speaker list, located on the MVC website and in the mobile app.

Please submit a high-quality image of at least 200 dpi resolution.

Professional headshots are preferred.