2020 Basic Science Course Update

April 1, 2020

The Basic Science Planning Committee is very saddened to announce that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we cannot continue with the original plan to run the 2020 Basic Science Course as a residential, onsite meeting this summer at UC Davis.  Instead, our goal is to provide a robust, online Basic Science Course in June & July 2020.

We understand the camaraderie that results when a group of people with common purpose and interest gather for this amazing three-week course. But the Committee must also find a solution that assures the safety and well-being of everyone involved. We are also fully aware that you have been planning toward this course for a long time and that, for many of you, this summer was the most educationally sound time during your training program to experience the course.  For some of you, it may have been the only time you could attend. These thoughts have all been at the forefront of our minds as we quickly and thoughtfully investigate options to run this course online for this year only. We will have the specific of those plans to you as soon as possible.

In the meantime, there are things you can and should do now.  For other things, we advise that you wait until you have more information before taking action so as to keep all options open.

Housing

  • If you booked UC Davis Campus Housing online, there’s nothing you need to do at this stage. The Center for Continuing Professional Education (CCPE) office will refund your housing cost in full to your original method of payment ASAP. You will receive an email confirmation after your refund is processed.

  • If you booked housing independently, please work with the provider to cancel.

Flights/Transportation

  • Please work with your airline/travel agent to cancel your bookings.

Course Registration

  • We strongly recommend against canceling your course registration at this time as we intend to soon provide an option to roll over your registration fee toward the online course. This will likely include a reduction in registration costs associated with removal of the laboratory component.  For those who elect to cancel registration, a full refund will be provided. (The standard $250 cancelation fee will be waived by the ACVO.) If you are considering cancelation, please email svmcontinuinged@ucdavis.edu so that we may provide more details.

Lastly, thank you for your patience while we work this out. We will make an announcement about the specifics of an online course option very soon. In the meantime, if we can answer other questions, please email us at svmcontinuinged@ucdavis.edu. (Please ensure that svmcontinuinged@ucdavis.edu does not go to your spam folder. All official emails from the Basic Science Course will come from this address.) And please check back at the Basic Science Course website regularly. All announcements regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and changes arising from it will be posted there.

For now, stay well, do as instructed by your local health authorities, and be kind to those around you. We are all in this together.

Sincerely,

David Maggs
Chair, Basic Science Planning Committee

Teresa Black