The Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine celebrated a significant milestone on graduation weekend as six members of the D.V.M. Class of 2024 became the first cohort to earn the Cornell Center for Veterinary Business and Entrepreneurship (CVBE) Certificate in Veterinary Business and Management. 

The certification program, which launched in the fall of 2022, allows students to pursue advanced training in business and management disciplines through eight elective courses in six focus areas: Financial literacy, professional development, financial management, organizational management, personal development and entrepreneurship. Jorge L. Colón, ’92, D.V.M. ’95, who holds an MBA from Colorado State University and serves as associate professor of practice in financial and organizational management and director of business education for the CVBE, oversees the certificate program.

“Business and management skills are in high demand in the veterinary industry,” says Colón. “Mastery of these skills will prepare Cornell graduates for diverse career opportunities and provide a solid foundation for the achievement of career success.” The program is completed through a final capstone project, which students present during graduation week. The students and their respective presentations were:

• Ariel Bohner, D.V.M. ’24: “Determining the costs of research services”
• Emily Bono, D.V.M. ’24: “Adaptation to the client’s social style”
• Christina Chamberlin Schofield, D.V.M. ’24: “Communicating medical information”
• Amanda Flanagan, D.V.M. ’24: “Pricing hospital procedures”
• Danielle Ferriola, D.V.M. ’24: “Analysis of an ER fast track program”
• Nardine Nasr, D.V.M. ’24: “Financial evaluation of practice data”

The certificate program is an asset both inside and outside of the classroom, explains Jodi Korich, D.V.M. ’97, associate dean for education. “The capstone project provides an opportunity for students to apply what they learned in the classroom to investigate real-world challenges in veterinary business,” she says. “Additionally, our new graduates can use the certificate as a way to stand-out in the job market.”

Founded in 2019, the CVBE offers core, advanced-core, and distribution-level education in financial and organizational management competencies to all CVM students, arming them with the necessary skills to succeed in the veterinary industry. New graduates like Emily Bono, D.V.M. ’24, appreciate the edge the CVBE certification has given her. “In the ever-changing world of veterinary medicine, and amongst the shift toward corporate-owned practices, the CVBE curriculum has given me not only the hope that private practice ownership is still a possibility, but also the skills and toolset required to pursue owning and managing a successful practice,” Bono says.