As a member of their senior leadership team, Dr. Makenzie Peterson serves as the Director for Wellbeing at the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC). She works to advance AAVMC’s strategic goal of fostering a culture of wellbeing throughout academic veterinary medicine by promoting preventative, systems-based initiatives. Dr. Peterson provides subject-matter expertise on the science and application of evidence-based wellbeing practices, as well as the development and implementation of strategic organizational changes to improve the overall wellbeing of academic communities and workplaces. She speaks on a variety of wellbeing-related topics, and also currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Women’s Veterinary Leadership Development Initiative. Born and raised in Alaska, Dr. Peterson completed her master’s degree in Health Promotion & Health Education from the University of Utah and her Doctorate of Social Work from the University of Southern California.

This presentation will provide participants with the current research results related to first-ever national intern and resident wellbeing study in the veterinary profession, identify potential intervention areas, and provide evidence-based approaches and recommendations for consideration. Environmental factors that impact wellbeing integration in veterinary medicine will also be discussed.