FAQs

Tacoma, WA
/
September 22–24
/
140+ CE Hours

Who can attend the Pacific Northwest Veterinary Conference?
Veterinarians, veterinary students, licensed veterinary technicians (LVT), LVT students, practice managers, and unregistered assistants and other staff employed at a veterinary hospital.

Guests of registered attendees may also pay a nominal fee to attend. Guests may not be veterinary personnel and they cannot attend CE sessions, but can participate in meals, events, and visit the exhibit hall.

How many professionals typically attend the Pacific Northwest Veterinary Conference?
Approximately 1,300 veterinary professionals attend the Conference.

How can I register for the Pacific Northwest Veterinary Conference?
Veterinarians, veterinary students, practice managers and their guests register at wsvma.org and click on the link on the homepage.

Veterinary technicians and unregistered assistants register at wsavt.org

Downloadable forms to print out and mail or fax are available.

What payment methods are accepted?
We accept American Express, Visa, Mastercard, and Purchase Orders through our online registration process. We accept checks and can invoice your organization if necessary.

Are meals included in the registration fee?
All meals and refreshment breaks are included with your registration. RSVP for meal attendance is required. Contact conference staff at (800) 399-7862 or [email protected] if you’ve already registered but want to sign up for meals. The deadline is Sept. 11, 2023.

Will there be dietary-specific food options available?
Vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free meals can be requested in advance when registering for the conference. On-site requests cannot be accommodated.

Are scientific proceedings included in the registration fee?
The Pacific Northwest Veterinary Conference Proceedings will be available September 8, 2023 for downloading from the website and are included in the meeting registration fee. A password to access online proceedings will be provided before, during and after the conference. Electronic proceedings allow for printing only the sections that you wish to print and is an effort to be both responsible toward our environment and to increase the quality and timeliness of the resources provided through this learning experience. No printed proceedings are available this year.

How Can I Make Changes to My Registration?
Changes to your registration may be made through the WSVMA office until September 1, 2023

Can I Cancel My Registration?
Cancellations received on or before September 1, 2023 will receive a full refund less a $50 processing fee. After September 2, 2023 and before September 20, 2023, there is a 20% administrative charge for cancellations. No refunds for cancellations received after September 20, 2023; no-shows receive no refund.

Are there options for daycare?
Child care is not provided. If visiting from out of town, check your hotel to see if they provide child care, or if they have suggestions on how to find local providers.

Mothers Nursing Room
A private room for nursing mothers is located on the third floor of the Greater Tacoma Convention Center.

Can I also attend virtually?
The 2023 Pacific Northwest Veterinary Conference is an in-person event.

What’s the Wi-Fi password?
The Greater Tacoma Convention Center offers free and open wifi. No password is needed.

How many CE hours are offered?
The conference will offer 175+ hours of CE to choose from.

Veterinarians can earn up to 18 hours of CE. Technicians can earn up to 18 hours of CE.

Are Pacific Veterinary Conference CE hours RACE approved? No

Washington
The Washington State Veterinary Medical Association, the sponsor of the Pacific Northwest Veterinary Conference, is a statutorily approved CE provider in Washington.

CE earned at the Pacific Northwest Veterinary Conference will be accepted by the Washington Veterinary Board of Governors toward the mandatory 30 hours required every two years for re-licensure.

Idaho
The 2023 Pacific Northwest Veterinary Conference has been approved for CE credit by the Idaho Board of Veterinary Medicine.

Texas

  • To receive credit for your CE at the Pacific Northwest Veterinary Conference, you must follow proper procedures per the Texas Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners (TBVME).
  • Sign in at the Registration Desk upon arrival.
  • Track your CE hours on the CE Verification Form.
  • Sign out before you leave the conference each day.
  • A Pacific Northwest Veterinary Conference staff member must verify your hours and give you a certificate of attendance/completion. (Per the TBVME these certificates cannot be mailed or given out after the conference).

All other states

  • Contact your state Veterinary Medical Board or licensing agency to determine what CE at the Pacific Northwest Veterinary Conference qualifies in your state. Many states allow for CE credit from veterinary organizations.
  • Contact the Pacific Northwest Veterinary Conference staff prior to the conference with any questions or special requirements by email at [email protected] or by phone at (800) 399-7862.

How do I keep track of the sessions I attend so I can submit my CE to my state regulator?
To keep track of your sessions, you will receive a CE Verification Form at check-in to record your hours and keep for your records. Do not turn it into the registration desk.

From the app FAQ’s last year: If you are in Washington State: You can find our downloadable CE certificate in this post (below). Download this form and select all sessions you attended. The form will also be in paper form at the event.

Also, if you are a WSVMA member you can upload and keep track of CE certificates and hours by logging into our WSVMA community and using the CE journal. To find instructions on how to use this journal, or to log in, check out our YouTube how-to video playlist.

If you are Out of State: Please check with your state’s licensing board to verify credits will apply.

What are the driving directions?
Access the Google Maps link to the Greater Tacoma Convention Center to get your driving directions.

Is there any parking available at the venue?
Follow this link to google maps to show various parking locations around the Convention Center. We cannot guarantee the availability of these parking garages or which may be pass/permit garages/lots, but this will give you a starting point if you would like to do some research on parking ahead of time. There is also some street parking, but that parking does go fast!

Another parking option is to park near the Tacoma Dome and ride the Tacoma Link Light Rail. There are two parking structures located next to the Sounder train platform and the Tacoma Link light rail station:

North Building is at 610 Puyallup Ave.
South Building is at 424 E. 25th St.
The Tacoma Link station is located at: 424 E. 25th St., Tacoma

The light rail is free to ride. More information can be found here. The light rail will drop you off across the street from the Convention Center.

There is also information about directions and parking on the Tacoma Convention Center Website.

What transportation is available from SeaTac Airport to convention hotels and the Greater Tacoma Convention Center?

  • Shuttle services: Shuttle Express (425) 981-7000 or Capital Aeroporter (800) 962-3579. Schedule in advance.
  • UBER or Lyft
  • Taxi service

What’s so great about Tacoma? A lot!
Tacoma is located 25 miles south of SeaTac Airport and boasts the following:

  • Six museums within walking distance of the convention center (Museum of Glass, LeMay’s America’s Car Museum, Tacoma Art Museum, Washington State History Museum, Children’s Museum of Tacoma and the Foss Waterway Seaport)
  • 40 restaurants with walking distance of the convention center
  • 25 breweries within a five-mile radius the convention center
  • 47 miles of beautiful Tacoma waterfront, and a short drive from several area beaches
  • 1.5 hour drive from Mt. Rainier and surrounding state and national parks with miles of trails and unsurpassed beauty.
  • 17-minute drive from world class Pt. Defiance Zoo and Aquarium
  • 8.8 miles from a U.S. Open golf course
  • Free light rail throughout downtown
  • For more information, visit traveltacoma.com

The Pacific Northwest Veterinary Conference (PNWVC) will follow all state and local requirements, our hotel, convention and event center COVID-19 policies, and the most current mask guidance from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) at the time of the event. The PNWVC recommends attendees and their guests ages five and older be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or have obtained a negative result of a test for COVID-19 within 72 hours of the event. The Washington State Veterinary Medical Association (WSVMA) may change this policy at any time based on changing conditions in the COVID-19 pandemic and/or changes to city, county, state, or federal governmental policies. Questions surrounding this policy can be directed to the WSVMA office at [email protected] or by calling (425) 396-3191.

By registering for the PNWVC 2023, I am acknowledging that I understand the highly contagious nature of Coronavirus/COVID-19, and that current medical knowledge of the virus, including its transmissibility and risk remains uncertain, particularly in light of evolving variants of the virus. Currently, there exists no cure for the virus, and that individuals with certain medical conditions may be at high risk for the disease.

I also understand that the CDC, as well as many other public health authorities, continue to recommend practicing social distancing, frequent hand washing, and the wearing of masks under certain circumstances, even for persons who may have been vaccinated for the virus. Although PNWVC, WSVMA, WSAVT, Greater Tacoma Convention Center, and Marriott and Murano Hotels may have in place preventative measures based on current CDC and governmental guidance in order to reduce the possible spread of Coronavirus/COVID-19 at PNWVC 2022, I understand and acknowledge that PNWVC, WSVMA, WSAVT, Greater Tacoma Convention Center, and Marriott and Murano Hotels are not able to guarantee that these measures will prevent the transmission of the virus, infection and/or illness. I further acknowledge and understand that PNWVC, WSVMA, WSAVT, Greater Tacoma Convention Center, and Marriott and Murano and Murano Hotels cannot guarantee that I will not become infected with the Coronavirus/COVID-19 while attending PNWVC 2022. Nor is it possible, given the state of current knowledge regarding the virus, to eliminate all risk of transmission and the potential health consequences of such exposure.

I also understand that the risk of becoming exposed to and/or infected by the Coronavirus/COVID-19 may result from the actions, omissions or negligence of myself and others, including, but not limited to on-site contractors, venue staff and guests, other meeting attendees, and their families, as well as members of the general public who I may come in contact with while traveling to and from, and while attending the PNWVC.

WSVMA Virtual Programs Code of Conduct
WSVMA is committed to providing a safe, productive, and welcoming environment for all meeting participants and staff. All participants, including, but not limited to, attendees, speakers, volunteers, exhibitors, staff members, service providers, and all others are expected to abide by this Virtual Programs Code of Conduct. This Policy applies to all WSVMA meeting-related events, including those sponsored by organizations other than WSVMA but held in conjunction with WSVMA events, on public or private platforms.

WSVMA has zero-tolerance for any form of discrimination or harassment, including but not limited to sexual harassment by participants or our staff at our meetings. If you experience harassment or hear of any incidents of unacceptable behavior, WSVMA asks that you inform Candace Joy, Chief Executive Officer, [email protected] or 800-399-7862, so that we can take the appropriate action.

Unacceptable Behavior is defined as:

  • Harassment, intimidation, or discrimination in any form.
  • Verbal abuse of any attendee, speaker, volunteer, exhibitor, WSVMA staff member, service provider, or other meeting guest.
    • Examples of verbal abuse include, but are not limited to, verbal comments related to gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, religion, national origin, inappropriate use of nudity and/or sexual images in public spaces or in presentations, or threatening or stalking any attendee, speaker, volunteer, exhibitor, WSVMA staff member, service provider, or other meeting guest.
  • Disruption of presentations during sessions, in the exhibit hall, or at other events organized by WSVMA throughout the virtual meeting. All participants must comply with the instructions of the moderator and any WSVMA virtual event staff.
  • Presentations, postings, and messages should not contain promotional materials, special offers, job offers, product announcements, or solicitation for services except where specifically allowed. WSVMA reserves the right to remove such messages and potentially ban sources of those solicitations.

WSVMA reserves the right to take any action deemed necessary and appropriate, including immediate removal from the meeting without warning or refund, in response to any incident of unacceptable behavior, and WSVMA reserves the right to prohibit attendance at any future meeting, virtually or in person.

Where can I find the proceedings? The proceedings can be found under each speaker’s profile in the app.

Where do I find the notes to print for a lecture? Go to speakers, click on speaker’s name, scroll down to the bottom where you will find a link for “Proceedings”, click on this.

WSVMA Virtual Programs Code of Conduct WSVMA is committed to providing a safe, productive, and welcoming environment for all meeting participants and staff. All participants, including, but not limited to, attendees, speakers, volunteers, exhibitors, staff members, service providers, and all others are expected to abide by this Virtual Programs Code of Conduct. This Policy applies to all WSVMA meeting-related events, including those sponsored by organizations other than WSVMA but held in conjunction with WSVMA events, on public or private platforms.

WSVMA has zero-tolerance for any form of discrimination or harassment, including but not limited to sexual harassment by participants or our staff at our meetings. If you experience harassment or hear of any incidents of unacceptable behavior, WSVMA asks that you inform Candace Joy, Chief Executive Officer, [email protected] or 800-399-7862, so that we can take the appropriate action.

Unacceptable Behavior is defined as:

Harassment, intimidation, or discrimination in any form.

Verbal abuse of any attendee, speaker, volunteer, exhibitor, WSVMA staff member, service provider, or other meeting guest.

Examples of verbal abuse include, but are not limited to, verbal comments related to gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, religion, national origin, inappropriate use of nudity and/or sexual images in public spaces or in presentations, or threatening or stalking any attendee, speaker, volunteer, exhibitor, WSVMA staff member, service provider, or other meeting guest.

Disruption of presentations during sessions, in the exhibit hall, or at other events organized by WSVMA throughout the virtual meeting. All participants must comply with the instructions of the moderator and any WSVMA virtual event staff.

Presentations, postings, and messages should not contain promotional materials, special offers, job offers, product announcements, or solicitation for services except where specifically allowed. WSVMA reserves the right to remove such messages and potentially ban sources of those solicitations.

WSVMA reserves the right to take any action deemed necessary and appropriate, including immediate removal from the meeting without warning or refund, in response to any incident of unacceptable behavior, and WSVMA reserves the right to prohibit attendance at any future meeting, virtually or in person.

Where can I find the complete downloadable program? You can find the program in our “Downloadable Docs” tab.