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Avian vet wins inaugural award

Neil A. Forbes becomes the first ever recipient of the Helga Gerlach Award.

Neil A. Forbes, BVetMed DipECZM(avian) FRCVS, a European Specialist Avian Vet, who runs Great Western Exotics, operating out of the Vets Now Referrals hospital in Swindon has become the first ever recipient of the  Helga Gerlach Award for Excellence in Avian Veterinary Sciences.

Neil was nominated and selected as the winner of the award from a selection of European contemporaries, who were required to meet a strict level of requirements, including having practised avian medicine for 15 years, and undertaken extensive teaching, writing, research and clinical performance in this field.

Commenting on his award Neil says: “To be the first recipient of this award is a great honour, especially knowing that I have been nominated and selected by my contemporaries across Europe. This is an area of veterinary medicine that I am extremely passionate about and want to encourage more vets to become involved in. The Helga Gerlach fund celebrates and recognises the work being done by Specialist Avian vets across Europe and the world, and is an excellent recognition of the vast contribution that Professor Gerlach made to the advancement of Avian medicine. ”

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VMD invites students to apply for EMS placement

News Story 1
 The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) is inviting applications from veterinary students to attend a one-week extramural studies (EMS) placement in July 2026.

Students in their clinical years of study have until 28 February to apply for the placement, which takes place at the VMD's offices in Addlestone, Surrey, from 6-10 July 2026.

Through a mixture of lectures and workshops, the placement will explore how veterinary medicines are authorised, non-clinical career opportunities, and other important aspects of the VMD's work.  

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News Shorts
Survey seeks ruminant sector views on antimicrobial stewardship

A new survey is seeking views of people working in the UK ruminant sector on how to tackle the challenge of demonstrating responsible antibiotic stewardship.

Forming part of a wider, collaborative initiative, the results will help identify the types of data available so that challenges with data collection can be better understood and addressed.

Anyone working in the UK farming sector, including vets and farmers,is encouraged to complete the survey, which is available at app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk