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RCVS welcomes 30 new Fellows
New Fellows with RCVS president, Niall Connell.
Breadth and depth of veterinary knowledge on show

On 20 September, at its fourth annual Fellowship Day, the RCVS welcomed new Fellows who were joined by colleagues for a day of scientific excellence that showcased the extent of veterinary knowledge.

In total, 30 new Fellows were welcomed – 19 for meritorious contributions to clinical practice; five for meritorious contributions to knowledge; and six for meritorious contributions to the profession. A full list of those welcomed to the Fellowship this year is available to download, where the link to the new Fellowship Directory can also be found.

The Directory of Fellows gives members of the public and the profession a greater insight into who is in the Fellowship and why, as well as promoting the Fellowship as a repository of veterinary knowledge and expertise.

The occasion also saw Professor John Innes welcomed as the new chair of the RCVS Fellowship for a three-year term during which he will be responsible for meeting the initiative’s strategic aims and setting its priorities.
 
Professor Nick Bacon, outgoing chair of the Fellowship, welcomed Professor Innes before reflecting on his three-year term. “As I come to the end of my three-year term,” he said, “I look back with immense pride on everything that has been achieved by the initiative in this relatively short time-frame.

“We have welcomed over 150 Fellows under the three new routes to Fellowship since 2016, and developed a three-year strategic plan to support the Fellowship in achieving its aim of becoming a thriving learned society.”

The day’s keynote speaker, was Dr John (Iain) Glen, who gave a presentation entitled: ‘Try, try and try again: some personal reflections on the development of the anaesthetic propofol’. In his presentation he detailed his ground-breaking work at AstraZeneca where he discovered and developed propofol – one of the most common anaesthetic drugs in use today.
 
Following Dr Glen’s speech the second annual ‘Fellows of the Future?’ competition took place, in which eight current students – a mix of undergraduates and postgraduates – presented their current research to the delegates and a judging panel comprising Professor Nick Bacon, Dr Glen, Professor John Innes and Dr Niall Connell.
 
The winner of the competition was James Statton, from the University of Nottingham, with his presentation on his research examining students; transition into veterinary education, and whether their expectations match their experience. His prize was a £200 book voucher.
 
The presentation by undergraduate student, Luke Gunter, of the Royal Veterinary College, on the effects of FSTL3-deletion on trophoblast migration, was judged highly commended by the panel, and he was awarded a £100 voucher.
 
There then followed ‘Fellows in Focus’ – a series of six 10-minute talks from new and existing Fellows on a topic of their choice, with the aim of shining a light on fascinating areas of work currently to be found within the RCVS Fellowship.

Videos and written reports from the Fellowship Day will also be available in due course.

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Practices urged to audit neutering data

News Story 1
 RCVS Knowledge has called on vet practices to audit their post-operative neutering outcomes.

It follows the release of the 2024 NASAN benchmarking report, which collates data from neutering procedures performed on dogs, cats and rabbits.

The benchmarking report enables practices in the UK and Ireland to compare their post-operative outcomes to the national average. This includes the rate of patients lost to follow-up, which in 2024 increased to 23 per cent.

Anyone from the practice can submit the data using a free template. The deadline for next report is February 2026.

Visit the RCVS Knowledge website to complete an audit. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
New guidance for antibiotic use in rabbits

New best practice guidance on the responsible use of antibiotics in rabbits has been published by the BSAVA in collaboration with the Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund (RWA&F).

The guidance is free and has been produced to help veterinary practitioners select the most appropriate antibiotic for rabbits. It covers active substance, dose and route of administration all of which are crucial factors when treating rabbits owing to the risk of enterotoxaemia.

For more information and to access the guide, visit the BSAVALibrary.