BSAVA 2017 International Scholarship now open
7 June 2016
Are you an overseas member but attending next year’s Congress in the UK exceeds your budget? Why not apply for the BSAVA International Scholarship?
To improve the understanding and communication of companion animal practitioners in Europe, the BSAVA organises an annual programme to allow four members of emerging small animal veterinary organisations (which are members of FECAVA) the opportunity to attend BSAVA Congress, which takes place in April in Birmingham, England.
The scholarship includes the following for up to four companion animal practitioners:
FREE registration to the BSAVA Congress on 6th – 9th April 2017
Hotel accommodation in twin rooms for the duration of Congress
FREE access to evening functions (Reception for foreign delegates, Banquet and VetFest)
Some expenses to cover travel costs to Birmingham
The visiting delegates will additionally be entitled to a FREE 1 year BSAVA Overseas E-membership, which gives exclusive access to previous Congress lecture downloads, reduced prices for BSAVA manuals and a whole range of other benefits. Further details can be found here.
The invitation does not include visa costs or spending money.
The invitees would be expected to participate in official events and receptions during Congress and inform British colleagues about the life of companion animal veterinarians in their part of Europe.
BSAVA is ideally looking for four recently qualified companion animal veterinarians who would otherwise not be able to attend this unique event. Applications can be made by individuals or by a group. Ideally working in private companion animal practice, applicants must be registered with the relevant governing body in their country, similar to the RCVS in the UK.
Applicants need to be able to speak and understand English to a sufficient level to be able to benefit from the lectures, and be prepared to share accommodation with another invitee in the form of a twin bedded shared hotel room.
Interested parties should send a 250-500 word email describing their professional background and giving a brief explanation about how their professional work would benefit from a visit to next year’s BSAVA Congress. The email should be accompanied by a letter of recommendation by the FECAVA director of the relevant country. To be eligible, applicants must be practising in one of the FECAVA member countries listed here.
Applications should be submitted to Krista Arnold Dr.Med.Vet. MRCVS at kavs@gmx.com by 15th August 2016.
The outcome will be decided by BSAVA’s International Affairs Committee and their decision will be final. The selected visitors will be informed before 31st October 2016, to leave enough time for travel and, if necessary, visa arrangements.
2016 Scholarship recipients
This year’s lucky winners came from Armenia and Portugal and are pictured above with BSAVA President Susan Dawson, Senior Vice President Tricia Colville and Krista Arnold BSAVA’s FECAVA representative.
Gohar Azatyan and Ovannes Azatyan qualified from the veterinary faculty of the Armenian National Agrarian University and work currently as general practitioners at ‘’Vet Line” – a 24/7 veterinary clinic in Armenia. Gohar also volunteers at a shelter for homeless animals, providing free veterinary services.
Gohar and Ovannes said: “During Congress we became acquainted with highly experienced veterinarians and their work. Beside gaining additional knowledge from each lecture during the day, we were also able to visit commercial exhibition and participate in the social evening activities. We returned to our homeland with new knowledge and impressions, endless positive emotions, new friends and a great desire to meet again soon.&”
Ana Ramos and Margarida Tome qualified from veterinary school in Évora in Portugal. Since graduating, they have been working as companion animal practitioners in private hospitals and clinics in their home towns. In their everyday practice they deal with a variety of clinical tasks. Attending BSAVA Congress was their first international experience related to veterinary medicine.
Ana and Margarida said: “The BSAVA Congress 2016 was a unique opportunity for us to improve and update our knowledge with some of the best small animal veterinarians in the world. The international variety of speakers allowed us to see how advanced veterinary medicine is in some countries and to have knowledge about procedures and techniques that we did not know. The speakers from the various areas gave many practical tips, which are going to be very useful and helpful in everyday practice. It was very interesting to see that some issues or problems we deal with every day are common between veterinarians, despite the differences that exist between countries”.