“NOMV’s mission is to transform the status of mental wellness within the profession so veterinary professionals can survive and thrive. It is critical we recognize wellbeing and mental health as necessary prerequisites for individual success and longevity in the profession. By extension, the veterinary profession will be unable to fulfill its mission to care for the health and wellbeing of animals if its practitioners neglect to care for themselves. Therefore, NOMV calls on the American Veterinary Medical Association to update the veterinary professional oath to include language which reflects the importance of self-care as a professional ideal. Words are power and we need powerful words to safeguard our profession.”