New RCVS awards to celebrate community and compassion
The RCVS Compassion awarded can be given to an individual who has shown compassion towards their colleagues and/or clients.
The RCVS has announced two new awards for its 2021 Honours & Awards programme to celebrate community and compassion within the veterinary profession.
The RCVS Compassion Award will mirror the key themes of the RCVS 2020-2024 strategic plan - compassion, clarity, courage and confidence. It can be awarded to a veterinary surgeon or veterinary nurse who has shown compassion towards their colleagues and/or their clients.
Recipients of the RCVS Compassion Award must have made a considerable impact on the veterinary community and displayed genuine compassion above and beyond what might have been expected of them as part of their day-to-day work. This can be part of a one-off initiative or sustained over a longer period.
The RCVS Student Community Award will be given to a veterinary or veterinary nursing student who has made a real effort to support their fellow students and the wider veterinary/veterinary nursing school community. It may also reward someone who has contributed to the wider local community within which the academic environment is based.
RCVS president Dr Mandisa Greene commented: “I am delighted to launch the Compassion Award and the Student Community Award during my presidential year. If the events of the last few months have taught us anything, it is about the power of treating our peers and colleagues with compassion, particularly if they are going through a difficult or distressing time, because sometimes even small acts of kindness, support and understanding can change a person’s mindset and outlook.”
She added: “Student outreach is a major focus of my presidential year, and that is why I am also very proud of our new Student Community Award which again is all about kindness and support for peers or wider community. The award could encompass a wide range of activities such as a specific initiative that the student has developed; personal support they have given over a sustained period; a demonstrable civic awareness in the way they have conducted themselves in student politics; an outreach programme with their local community; or an invaluable contribution to the governance of the student body. If you know of a student who fits the criteria then please nominate them for this award.”
The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) is inviting applications from veterinary students to attend a one-week extramural studies (EMS) placement in July 2026.
