VI AAEP News June 2024
ETHICS
The role of the AAEP’s Professional Conduct and Ethics Committee By Allison Marshall, DVM, and David Foley, CAE
Dr. Allison Marshall
Ethics, by definition, are “a system of moral principles,” and “a branch of philosophy dealing with values relating to human conduct, with respect to rightness and wrongness of certain actions and motives.” Let’s unpack that a bit insofar as how it intertwines with our association, profession, culture and individual lives.
David Foley
Philosophy is a heavy word for a lot of people, because many have difficulty examining their own philosophy: Exactly what do we believe is correct? What have we been taught by our peers and mentors? What has our culture and generation been taught as far as being motivated to stick to the rules and work together as a group to achieve a goal? What are our individual responsibilities to AAEP and veterinary medicine? This
in-depth self-examination is beyond the desires and abilities of many in the general public but of utmost concern in the area of medicine.
Ethical decision-making
Ethics and professional conduct in veterinary medicine could be some of the most complicated concepts a veteri- narian faces during his or her career. Ethical decisions involve weighing the effect on the patient and the people involved in light of the finances, and helping owners and buyers make informed decisions. Our personal power as veterinarians easily slips into treading into boundaries of ethical dilemmas and compromising values of the entire profession for our egos—it is human nature. The cost of making unethical decisions for financial benefit is a real consideration in our line of work due to the fact that our patients are worth a lot of money, and horses in this day are purely for sport and pleasure and are by no means a necessity. Many horses are family members, but still a luxury from a purist perspective.
Our careers as equine veterinarians revolve around a first- world luxury. This throws a completely different angle into the ethics equation and how we conduct ourselves in light of our own personal narrative of who we are as well as how we represent our profession to other equine profes- sionals and to the world at large that may not understand
the nuances of the equine culture. As humans, every decision we make affects others. The ethical decision almost always takes more effort and inner fortitude than the ego-driven alternative. As higher professionals, we are responsible to fight that inner fight for all those we represent. But how can AAEP help to shape the ethical culture of its members in our ever-changing society?
Committee’s role in disciplinary action In recent years, questions have arisen about the role of the AAEP’s Professional Conduct and Ethics Committee and whether the AAEP does or can pursue disciplinary action. While this does occur, the committee’s primary role is to provide member education in the area of professional conduct and ethics. This education has come in the form of frequent articles in EVE, webinars and the ethics panel that occurs at the annual convention. However, the committee does have a role in disciplinary procedures as well.
Of course, the AAEP is not a regulatory authority and can only take action relative to membership status in the asso- ciation. Since we are not a regulatory authority and do not have an investigative function, the committee only acts upon membership status after a regulatory authority has already taken action, be it a state licensing board, racing commission, horse show governing body or a court of law. Some of the grounds for membership denial or revocation include failure to comply with the codes of ethics of the veterinary profession; action against the member’s license by a regulatory authority; and acts of fraud, misrepresen- tation, deceit or animal cruelty. The AAEP does not act upon complaints from horse owners or other clients.
The hearing process When the AAEP becomes aware of such action, the committee follows a procedure that involves notifying the applicant or member of the action, giving them a chance to respond in writing, reviewing the facts and evidence, and deciding whether to accept or deny the application, dismiss or pursue the complaint, or refer the case for a hearing.
A hearing is a meeting where the committee can hear from the applicant or member, his or her witnesses and legal counsel, and any other relevant parties. Hearings have tra- ditionally occurred at the annual convention but now are held more frequently over Zoom to expedite the proceed- ings. The committee then makes a recommendation to the board of directors, which has the final authority to
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Dr. Marshall is founding owner of Full Circle Veterinary Services PC in Mechanicsville, Va., and a member of the Professional Conduct and Ethics Committee. David Foley is executive director of the AAEP and staff liaison to the Professional Conduct and Ethics Committee.
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