Benefits of Membership

The Oregon Veterinary Medical Association's purpose is the promotion of the veterinary profession and the protection of your professional interests as a veterinarian.

We hope that you will join over 1,000 of your Oregon colleagues in OVMA membership. To apply, complete the OVMA Membership Application and submit it with your dues payment. Contact us for more information.

Quick Answers to Tough Questions

Your business and professional interests are our focus every day.
A visit to this Web site, a call to our help line, (800) 235-3502 or (503) 399-0311, or an e-mail can save you dozens of calls and valuable time. The OVMA staff is a trained and available resource whenever you have a question or concern. If we can't answer your question or direct your inquiry, we'll do the research and get back to you with the answer, allowing you to spend your time practicing medicine.

Advocating for Your Interests

We have saved Oregon's veterinary practices over $26 million since 1989.
With professional support, we help create, shape and respond to legislation and regulations that could enhance or restrict the practice of veterinary medicine in Oregon. In doing so, we ensure fair treatment and consideration of the practitioner's point of view. We also align ourselves with other organizations and interest groups with similar objectives to broaden our effectiveness.

As a result of our diligence, we have saved Oregon’s veterinary practices more than $26 million since 1989. For the average practice, this equates to a yearly savings of over $4,200.

Lifetime of Learning

We provide continuing education opportunities to veterinarians and staff.
It has been estimated that veterinary medical knowledge doubles every five years. To help you stay on the cutting-edge of education, the OVMA provides continuing education opportunities for both practitioner and paraprofessional. In addition to sponsoring the Oregon Veterinary Conference with the College of Veterinary Medicine at Oregon State University, the OVMA is a partner in the Wild West Veterinary Conference in Reno, Nevada.

Promoting the Veterinary Profession Through Public Relations

Preserving the hard-earned and well-deserved public confidence in veterinary medicine.
Projects focus on providing educational and informational tools for the practice, fostering strong relationships with the media, and educating consumers on proper animal health care. We promote the profession through:

• Development of client education posters and brochures on animal health care topics

• Distribution of media releases on animal health care topics

• Using social media networks such as Twitter and Facebook to reach members, the public and media

• Fostering relationships with print and broadcast media through our media room

• Coordination of the annual OVMA exhibit at the Oregon State Fair, including the popular Ask a Vet booth

• Development of our online library of resources for pet, equine and large animal owners

Keeping You Informed

Making sure that members are informed about what's occurring within Oregon's veterinary profession is a vital and important goal of the OVMA. Here are some of the tools we use to stay in touch:

• e-News Service: Our exclusive members-only news-by-e-mail service will keep you up to date between newsletters. Sign up today!

• Legislative Action: Stay informed with the latest legislative news affecting the veterinary profession.

• Members-Only Access: Get exclusive content on this Web site, including news, compensation survey results, client education posters, and more.

• Newsletter: Read the Viewpoint for the latest information on continuing education, legislation, legal matters, industry trends, classified advertising, and the direction of the veterinary profession.

• OVMA Directory and Resource Guide: Members receive this award-winning, valuable source of information including a list of member and non-member veterinarians, referral practices, helpful telephone numbers and Web sites, position statements of the Association, a compilation of veterinary practices by city, and more.

Benefits That Save You Time and Money

Here are just a few of the benefits and services that have been developed, endorsed or adopted by the OVMA with the veterinary practice in mind:

• Bankcard Processing: Put more money back into your pockets by enrolling in the OVMA's program through the Retail Council Services Corp. Members get a free cost comparison of your current program with ours.

• Check Recovery: FedPayUSA LLC is one of the largest payment processing and check recovery companies in the nation. Services include: Signature Service with check verification backed by electronic check recovery; Signature Service Guarantee; and Electronic Check Recovery with Accounts Receivable. FedPayUSA makes accepting checks as safe as cash or credit cards.

• Collections: The sooner you start to collect on your receivables, the more money you'll recover. I.C. System, the OVMA's endorsed provider, has more than 60 years of experience and has implemented new options for practices. I.C. System has recovered more than $3 million for OVMA members.

• Consent Forms: The OVMA has arranged for its members to receive a special 15% off the retail price of $117 of Legal Consents for Veterinary Practices, by Jim Wilson, DVM, JD. This 4th edition book is an important reference that provides a review of why legal consents are necessary in the veterinary practice.

• Cost Segregation: A cost segregation study of your practice can help you accelerate the depreciation of your practice from a 39-year schedule to 5, 7 and 15-year schedules. Returns on studies conducted by Bedford Cost Segregation can range from 5-30 to 1. The cash return is tax-free, and the fee for service is fully tax deductible as an ordinary business expense.

• Insurance & Financial Services: Receive a discount off insurance coverage through our endorsed providers, Founders Financial Group and Wells Fargo Veterinary Insurance Program.

• OSHA Compliance: The OVMA's educational manual and DVD, An Ounce of Prevention, helps you stay on top of your obligations and responsibilities to staff.