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September 2026
Southwest Veterinary Symposium offers New Mexico veterinary teams something many conferences lack: high-quality education in
Southwest Veterinary Symposium offers New Mexico veterinary teams something many conferences lack: high-quality education in a setting that feels practical, manageable, and genuinely team-friendly. SWVS is large enough to offer real depth, but not so large that you spend the whole meeting racing between buildings or getting lost in the crowd. That balance matters, especially for New Mexico practices that run lean, cover multiple roles, and need CE that pays off back at work. NMVMA survey results show strong interest in team-based education, high participation in in-person CE, and a clear need for practical learning that fits real-world clinical practice.
Built for the whole team
SWVS is designed for DVMs, technicians, assistants, practice managers, and front-office staff. That means your team can learn together, return with shared takeaways, and put ideas into practice faster. The program aligns closely with what New Mexico veterinarians have said they want most, including clinical skills and diagnostics, large- and mixed-animal content, communication and team development, public health and regulatory updates, wellness, leadership, and practice management.
Why New Mexico teams keep coming back
“What I love most about the Southwest Veterinary Symposium is the intimate learning environment,” says Adena Robertson, DVM, President of NMVMA. “It creates unique opportunities to connect with colleagues from across our region… If you’re looking for an event that combines high-quality education with personal connections, SWVS is the perfect choice.”
“What I love about SWVS is how flexible it is,” says Jennifer Garcia, DVM, NMVMA Treasurer. “You can build your own schedule and focus on what matters most to you. It’s a perfect event for the whole team… If you’re looking for a team-focused learning experience, SWVS is the place to be.”
“Attending SWVS is worth every penny,” says Jennifer Bracken, DVM, NMVMA Immediate Past President. “The event offers access to outstanding speakers who are also everyday practitioners, providing real-world clinical solutions you can apply immediately in your practice.”
A smart investment for your practice and your profession
SWVS is a nonprofit partnership among five state VMAs, including NMVMA. When New Mexico veterinary teams attend, they are not only investing in CE. They are also helping support NMVMA’s year-round work at home, including advocacy that protects veterinary practice in New Mexico, strengthens communication tools, and advances the profession across our state.
Practices registering four or more team members receive a 20% discount, which makes the value even stronger for clinics that want to train together.
Ready to explore SWVS?
Browse the schedule, find the tracks that fit your team, and make your plan.
Explore SWVS and Register
Start strong. Build connections. Step into the profession with support.
Each year, Southwest Veterinary Symposium offers a scholarship to help newly graduated DVMs attend one of the region’s most valuable veterinary meetings. For early-career veterinarians, SWVS is more than a CE conference. It is a chance to build relationships, learn from experienced colleagues, explore leadership pathways, and get more connected to the profession early on.
Even for graduates in states that do not require CE in the first year, SWVS offers real value. It is a place to grow your network, strengthen your confidence, and gain exposure to the people, ideas, and opportunities that can shape your career.
This scholarship also helps introduce the next generation of veterinary leaders to the collaboration behind SWVS and the organized veterinary medicine community that supports the profession across our partner states.
Applicants must:
Scholarships are awarded annually as follows:
Each scholarship recipient will receive:
Each partner state VMA selects its scholarship recipient based on eligibility and the applicant’s ability to represent their state veterinary medical association in a professional and positive way.
To make the experience meaningful and ensure early-career voices help shape the future of SWVS, scholarship recipients are expected to:
For newly graduated veterinarians, this scholarship opens the door to continuing education, mentorship, professional connection, and early leadership exposure at a critical point in your career. It is a chance to invest in yourself while becoming part of a larger community working to strengthen veterinary medicine across our region.
Interested in being considered for New Mexico’s scholarship opportunity?
Watch for application details from NMVMA or contact us to learn more.
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Henry B. González Convention Center
900 E. Market Street
You can register through the SWVS website and book your hotel either during registration or separately through the official housing link. SWVS lists Maritz as the official hotel provider and warns attendees to avoid outside hotel solicitations. The site also notes that housing requests should be submitted by September 1 for the best chance at negotiated rates.
Yes. SWVS offers 20% off when a practice registers 4 or more full-conference attendees. That can make the meeting a smart value for clinics that want to invest in shared learning across multiple roles.
No. The current SWVS attendee FAQ says there will be no online virtual option and no videos available after the meeting. This one is in person only.
Registration hours are currently listed as Thursday 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Sunday 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. The exhibit hall is open Thursday 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., Friday 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For registration or hotel help, SWVS lists (864) 216-7291 and swvs@maritz.com. For general questions, the event lists info@swvs.org.
Southwest Veterinary Symposium takes place September 17–20, 2026 at the Henry B. González Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas. It is a strong regional option for New Mexico teams that want substantial CE without the sprawl of a much larger national meeting.
SWVS is built for the entire veterinary team. That includes veterinarians, technicians, veterinary assistants, practice managers, office staff, and students. The meeting offers 400+ CE hours across 12 tracks, so teams can split up, focus on what matters most to their roles, and come back with ideas they can actually use.
SWVS is not just another conference. It is a nonprofit partnership among NMVMA and four neighboring state VMAs. That means when New Mexico DVMs attend, NMVMA benefits through the meeting’s revenue-sharing arrangement. Those dollars help support the advocacy and member service work NMVMA does year-round, including efforts to protect veterinary practice in New Mexico, strengthen communication, and support the profession at home. In other words, attending SWVS can support your own learning and help support the broader work that supports New Mexico veterinary medicine.
Because it fits the way many New Mexico practices actually work. Our survey showed strong interest in practical, immediately useful education, and it also showed that cost, travel, and time away from practice are real barriers. SWVS helps make the trip count by offering broad, team-friendly programming in one place, including clinical content, practice management, wellness, and role-specific learning. It is the kind of meeting where your team can learn together and implement together.
