The Continuing Ed Collection
Continuing Education Retreats: CE Hours with a Real Vacation
A continuing education retreat pairs real CE hours with a real break. Earn 12 hours of RACE-approved veterinary surgery CE with board-certified surgeon Dr. Garrett Levin in the afternoons, and spend your mornings hiking, exploring, and recharging at a family-run rainforest farm in Costa Rica.
12 Hours of Surgery
Afternoons Only
Free to Explore
Why a CE retreat?
What if continuing education could feel like this? That’s the question I kept coming back to after we found a family-run rainforest lodge in Costa Rica, almost by accident.
So the CE happens in the afternoons, on a covered deck surrounded by jungle. Your mornings stay open for coffee beside the rainforest, a walk along the creek, a farm tour, a river swim, or simply sitting on your porch with nowhere to rush off to. Partners and families are welcome, too.
You’ll go home with 12 hours of RACE-approved CE, and hopefully something harder to find in everyday life: space to breathe, time in nature, and good sleep.
– Lindsay
What a day actually looks like
Mornings are yours, CE happens in the afternoon, and everything else is optional. Here’s how most days go.


Afternoon soak
Who you’ll learn with.
Our continuing education retreats pair experienced veterinary presenters with a host who handles every detail, so you can focus on learning and recharging.

Dr. Garrett M. Levin
Veterinary Surgeon & CE Presenter
Dr. Levin, DVM, DACVS, is a board-certified veterinary surgeon and Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons. He now owns Ascend Veterinary Surgery, practicing in Vermont and New York.

Dr. Ronit Berdugo
Veterinary Medicine Education Coordinator
Dr. Berdugo, DVM, CVA, is a small animal veterinarian with the Humane Society in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, after 20 years running a house and boat call practice in the Florida Keys.

Lindsay Eldridge
Founder & Host, Away Retreats
Lindsay has spent more than 20 years creating experiences through travel and the outdoors, from guiding sea kayaking trips in the U.S. Virgin Islands to leading expeditions in Ecuador and the Galápagos. A certified Pilates instructor and mom of two, she designs the kind of trips she wanted for herself: adventurous, thoughtful, and full of real connection.
Pick your dates.
Every upcoming continuing education retreat, soonest first. New dates show up here as soon as they’re announced.
Get first word on the next CE Retreat.
We announce new continuing education retreats first in our Sunday email, Sundays from Somewhere. Every one pairs real CE hours with airport transfers, lodging, meals, and free mornings to explore.
What it’s really like.
“There was wonderful attention to everyone’s individual needs and desires and everything was great. It was a triumph of retreat organisation!”
– Rachel, Away Retreats guest
What you’ll learn
12 hours of veterinary surgery CE with board-certified surgeon Dr. Garrett Levin, across three afternoons.
Orthopedic surgery: orthopedic examination, cranial cruciate ligament disease, patellar luxation, femoral head and neck ostectomy, bandages and splints, joint luxation, and arthroscopy.
Soft tissue surgery: surgical oncology, perineal urethrostomy, anal sacculectomy, abdominal surgery, drains and feeding tubes, and wound management.
Surgical practice and team efficiency: operating room efficiency, surgical planning, building an effective surgical team, and technician utilization.
Continuing Education FAQ
“Well run retreat. I would not hesitate to attend another!”
– Sue B., Away Retreats guest


Night walk
Find your kind of retreat
Six ways to travel with us, all with small groups, a menu of choices, and every detail handled.
Not sure which retreat fits? Ask our team.
A quick call to talk through dates, rooms, and what each retreat feels like day to day. No pressure, ever.

