NAVC spotlights upcoming CE with VetFolio webinar and HiVE
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NAVC’s latest calendar update is modest on its face, but it points to a bigger shift in how veterinary continuing education is being packaged and delivered. In Today’s Veterinary Practice, NAVC flagged two upcoming programs, a free VetFolio webinar on reptilian CPR and HiVE Midwest, a regional CE event for veterinary support staff, as part of its “Inside NAVC” roundup of near-term opportunities. The timing matters because it comes just after VMX 2026, when NAVC was also emphasizing its role as a year-round education platform rather than a once-a-year conference organizer. (todaysveterinarypractice.com)
That broader positioning has been building for some time. NAVC’s own education pages describe a portfolio that now spans VMX, VetFolio online learning, certification programs, journals with free CE, and in-person specialty events. Its staff profile also notes that the organization has expanded beyond an annual conference model into a larger educational and media operation. In other words, the calendar item is less a standalone announcement than a window into how NAVC is trying to meet different parts of the profession with different formats. (navc.com)
The scale of that strategy is significant. According to NAVC’s VMX 2026 fact sheet, the January meeting brought in nearly 30,000 attendees and offered nearly 1,300 hours of CE alongside more than 700 exhibitors. NAVC’s impact report similarly shows 30,000-plus in-person event attendees across its portfolio and 150,000-plus online learners, suggesting the group is increasingly balancing flagship, destination-style meetings with digital and regional education channels. (navc.com)
HiVE is a key piece of that mix. NAVC describes the series as designed specifically for veterinary nurses, technicians, practice managers, and support staff, with programming around clinical skills, career development, and personal growth. The 2026 HiVE calendar currently lists Midwest in Covington, Kentucky, on March 21-22; South in San Antonio on May 30-31; East in Charlotte on August 1-2; and West in October, with the location still to be announced. NAVC’s 2025 impact report said the previous HiVE Midwest and HiVE West events drew a combined audience of more than 650 professionals, most of them veterinary nurses and technicians. (navc.com)
The other half of the calendar update, the free reptilian CPR webinar through VetFolio, reinforces NAVC’s effort to keep lower-friction CE in the mix. VetFolio is positioned by NAVC as an online hub for RACE-approved education, and NAVC’s help materials state that live webinars are submitted to RACE and that certificates are delivered through the learner dashboard after attendance. That may sound operational, but it matters for busy teams looking for CE that doesn’t require airfare, hotel costs, or time away from practice. (navc.com)
Industry commentary around VMX 2026 suggests this layered approach is landing in a profession that’s thinking beyond traditional lecture halls. NAVC’s post-VMX recap said the organization is focused on building “a stronger, more connected veterinary workforce” through formats that support mentorship, peer-driven discussion, and role-based learning. Outside commentary from Goodnewsforpets also framed VMX 2026 around education, experience, and responsible AI, while broader conference programming across the profession is increasingly tying CE to operational resilience, technology literacy, and workforce sustainability. That doesn’t directly validate the calendar item, but it does support the inference that NAVC is aligning its event mix with the profession’s demand for practical, future-facing education. (navc.com)
Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, especially hospital leaders, credentialed technicians, and managers, the notable development is the continued fragmentation of CE into formats that are easier to access and more specific to role. Large conferences like VMX still matter for networking, product discovery, and breadth. But regional meetings like HiVE and free digital programs through VetFolio may be more realistic for many teams dealing with staffing shortages, budget pressure, and limited time away from patients. For employers trying to support retention and advancement, that creates more options to build education plans around the whole care team, not just veterinarians. (navc.com)
What to watch: The next signal will be execution. HiVE Midwest is scheduled for March 21-22, 2026, and NAVC has already posted additional HiVE stops through the rest of the year, so the question is whether attendance, sponsor support, and programming depth continue to justify expansion of these regional formats alongside VMX, SkillShop, and VetFolio. (navc.com)