Membership Types
Save more money, more time, and a have a better work/life balance with OVMA benefits at your fingertips. As a member you have access to more products and services than many other associations combined. See Your Member Benefits for a complete list and find out what's included when you become a Clinic Member (PDF), Individual Practice Owner (PDF), Individual Non-Practice Owner (PDF), New Graduate (PDF) or Student Member (PDF).
Member benefits at a glance:
Individual Membership Savings For Associate Veterinarians
Home/auto insurance |
$615 (est.) |
Career counselling |
$500 |
Free legal advice |
$300 |
OVMA Conference |
$150 |
OVMA Workshops |
$75 |
VIN membership |
$70 |
Total |
$1,710 |
Individual Membership Savings For Practice Owners
Dashboard service |
$960 |
Commercial insurance |
$436 (est.) |
Home/auto insurance |
$615 (est.) |
HR consultation |
$500 |
Career counselling |
$500 |
Free legal advice |
$300 |
OVMA Conference |
$150 |
OVMA Workshops |
$75 |
VIN membership |
$70 |
Total |
$3,606 |
Clinic Membership
Clinic members (PDF) have access to the additional services noted in the benefits chart above, making it the best value for practice owners.
Cost
One Veterinarian Clinic: $790
Each Additional Veterinarian (Full or Part-time Partners/Associates): $245
*Each veterinarian working in the clinic (excluding locums) must be an OVMA member to maintain the clinic membership.
Staffing Changes in a Clinic Membership
Departing staff : A veterinarian who leaves the clinic will remain an OVMA member for the duration of the membership year.
Replacing staff: If a clinic hires a veterinarian to replace a departing veterinarian, they will automatically become an OVMA member at no additional cost to the clinic.
Hiring new staff: One additional veterinarian can be added to a Clinic Membership free of charge annually. If more than one veterinarian joins a clinic in the membership year, the cost is $245 (plus HST).
Please inform OVMA of any staffing changes as soon as possible.
Clinic Membership Savings
Practice consultation |
$2,000 |
Mystery Phone Shopper |
$1,500 |
Dashboard Alert service |
$1,200 |
Commercial insurance |
$436 (est.) |
Home/auto insurance |
$615 (est.) |
HR consultation |
$500 |
Free legal advice |
$300 |
OVMA Conference |
$150 |
OVMA Workshops |
$75 |
VIN membership |
$70 |
Total |
$6,846 |
New Graduate Membership
Get all the benefits of an Individual membership for free the first year after graduation! The New Graduate Membership (PDF) offers new veterinarians career support, programs, and services geared towards helping you build a fulfilling and successful career. Associate veterinarians who are members earn thousands of dollars a year more, on average, than non-members.
Student Membership
Every OVC student is automatically enrolled as a member for free! You get all the benefits of an Individual membership so try them out and use them - it's on us! Learn everything you need to know about your career, client service, managing your work-life balance and more.
Free stethoscope
OVMA welcomes all first-year OVC students to the veterinary profession with a free stethoscope.
Student bursary program
We give out $1,500 in bursaries and awards each year to OVC students who demonstrate financial need. Contact OVC Student Financial Services for details.
Pregnancy/Parental/Disability Leave Discount
If you meet the following criteria, you’re entitled to a 50% reduction in your membership fee. This applies to individual membership fees only, as other membership types are already discounted.
Pregnancy/parental leave
In keeping with the definition of parent in the Employment Standards Act, reduced membership fees will be extended to:
- expectant mothers
- birth parents
- adopting parents
- a member who is legally married to or otherwise in a relationship of some permanence with a parent of a child and who plans on treating the child as his or her own
To qualify for the reduced fee, you must not be working for at least four months during the membership year due to pregnancy or to care for a new child. The reduced fee can be granted for a maximum of one membership year per child.
If you’ve already paid the full fee for the year, you’ll be entitled to a 50% refund on your membership fees for the current year. This discount doesn’t apply for the subsequent year.
Disability leave
To qualify for the reduced fee, you must not be working for at least four months during the membership year due to disability. If you’ve already paid the full membership fee, you’ll be entitled to a 50% refund on your membership fees for the current year.
Documentation
No documented evidence of the need for the leave is required. However, you’ll be asked to submit a form requesting the reduced fee.
The reduced fee must be applied for either prior to or during the leave period. If you’re unsure as to whether the leave will be longer than four months, you can apply for the reduced fee if and when the length of the leave has been determined to exceed four months.
Forward your disability/parental leave discount request to Cheryl Coulombe, Manager of Member Services, ccoulombe@ovma.org, 1.800.670.1702 ext. 227.