Co-sponsored by the society for veterinary medicine and literature

May 10th and 11th, 2010
Ontario Veterinary College,
University of Guelph
Examining the role of poetry, fiction and essays in veterinary medicine and exploring how literature enriches relationships among veterinarians, their clients and nonhuman animals. The event will bring together writers, veterinarians, veterinary students and scholars in diverse disciplines to explore common themes in veterinary medicine and literature.

Confirmed featured speakers include the internationally known poets Mark Doty and Molly Peacock.

Mark Doty's Fire to Fire: New and Selected Poems won the National Book Award for Poetry in 2008 and his Dog Years was a 2007 New York Times best seller.

Molly Peacock is general editor of The Best Canadian Poetry in English. Her most recent collection of poetry is The Second Blush.

The symposium organisers welcome papers on any aspect of veterinary medicine and the literary arts, including:

Themes within the healing professions

* Client communications
* The human-animal bond
* 'First, do no harm'
* Dying, death and grief
* Retaining purpose and joy

The use of fiction, essays and poetry in medicine and the healing professions:

* To enhance understanding & empathy in relation to these professions
* In the context of our personal philosophies of writing i.e., 'Why write?'
* With an interest in personal memoirs
* With regard to veterinary science and the experience of being a scientist
* What I read and why

Future directions for literature in veterinary medicine

To enrich curricular and extracurricular veterinary medical education and practice.