Welcome to the 2025 Merck-Ohio State University Food Animal Medicine Student Symposium (FAMSS)

We are excited to announce that the 2025 FAMSS will be the 13th edition of this premier event, bringing together veterinary students from across North America for three days of food animal medicine education in Columbus, OH, from March 20-22.

What’s New This Year?

• Dairy Challenge Vet: Now scheduled for Thursday, March 20, with the Welcome Dinner kicking off the event on Wednesday, March 19. This change allows competitors to fully participate in the Friday programming.

• Industry Tour: Friday morning will feature an exciting industry tour of local Ohio farms, followed by our usual interactive sessions and dinner programming in the afternoon.

What is FAMSS? FAMSS is a unique, student-run symposium designed to:

• Enhance veterinary students’ education through quality instruction and hands-on experiences

• Showcase the diverse opportunities within food animal medicine

• Tailor the curriculum to accommodate varying experience levels, ensuring something for everyone

• Foster individualized learning that connects theory to real-world application

• Facilitate networking with industry leaders to help students build professional connections

What to Expect: The symposium offers a platform for students to learn from leading experts, share innovative research, and deepen their understanding of food animal medicine. By attending, students will be better equipped to address the challenges of animal health, safety, and public health in food production.

Topics Covered: Throughout the event, veterinary professionals and industry leaders will lead interactive sessions on a wide range of topics, including dairy, beef, swine, small ruminants, camelids, poultry, fish, and bees. We also offer an entire day of wet labs for students to gain practical, hands-on experience outside the classroom.

Explore and Learn More: Please explore the tabs at the top right of this page to view the schedule and discover all that this year’s symposium has to offer!

Registration: Registration will be opening in February 3, 2025. 

If you have any questions, please reach out to osucvmfac@gmail.com.