Dr. Craig McConnel (’02 DVM) views his new role as the College of Veterinary Medicine’s director of Continuing Veterinary Medical Education as a perfect complement to his responsibilities as director of Veterinary Medicine Extension.
And it represents an opportunity to expand the college’s outreach and community engagement efforts, one of the college’s core pillars of its recently released strategic plan.
“Our strategic plan emphasizes the importance of community outreach and engagement to promote animal welfare, responsible pet ownership, and public health,” McConnel said. “I put myself forward for this position because of the opportunity to align Extension with Continuing Education, to have an integrated face for the college and to help us engage with veterinary professionals and the communities of Washington and surrounding states. This alignment will not only elevate our educational offerings but also strengthen our strategic outreach initiatives.”
McConnel, who has been a member of the college’s faculty since 2016 and has served as the director of Veterinary Medicine Extension since 2023, took over the reins of the Continuing Education program from Dr. Tina Owen earlier this summer. Since then, he has traveled to area communities to gather feedback from veterinary professionals to shape future CE offerings. McConnel is also encouraging faculty and practitioners to complete a survey online.
McConnel aims to elevate the profile of the CE program and develop a more integrated and comprehensive approach that supports veterinary professionals and engages the broader community. In addition to continuing the college’s Spring and Fall Conferences, he hopes to reinstate monthly webinars with CE credits starting this fall. Additionally, he envisions hosting community-based information sessions and developing relationships with potential sponsors and collaborating organizations.
“On the CE side, we will always focus on applied clinical topics and practical information that professionals can take back to their clinics,” McConnel said. “But there are opportunities within CE to offer community-based sessions on diverse topics, from what the Paul G. Allen School for Global Animal Health is doing in Africa to eradicate rabies to wildlife rehabilitation and therapies like acupuncture and physical therapy. These sessions would be beneficial for both veterinary professionals and community members.”
McConnel also hopes the information and interactions he has through the CE program will help to improve Veterinary Medicine Extension efforts.
McConnel graduated from WSU with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 2002. After leaving Pullman, McConnel completed an internship in ruminant medicine at the University of Sydney and a Master of Veterinary Clinical Studies. He later earned a PhD at Colorado State University where he explored the epidemiology of adult dairy cow mortality on Colorado dairies. In 2010, he joined the staff of Charles Sturt University’s School of Animal and Veterinary Science in Wagga Wagga, Australia, as a lecturer in ruminant health. He returned to CSU in 2013 as an assistant professor in Dairy Population Health Management and provided clinical instruction in dairy field service and oversight of elective rotations in dairy production medicine and herd health assessments. Since returning to WSU, McConnel has served as an assistant professor in Veterinary Medicine Extension and as the course coordinator for Veterinary Epidemiology.
