The BSAVA PetSavers Student Experience
Rosie Godfrey, Chair of the BSAVA PetSavers management committee, recorded a presentation for BSAVA Student Congress 2022, explaining how PetSavers can help introduce undergraduates to veterinary research and what students can do for PetSavers.
Student Grants
We support undergraduate vets, vet nurses and bioveterinary students to carry out research projects in companion animal science lasting 6-10 weeks, typically undertaken during university vacation periods. Grant funding for student research projects (SRPs) is provided to support a student stipend of £200/week and a consumables budget of up to £1200. The grant also offers the opportunity to practise presentation skills at BSAVA Congress by delivering a clinical abstract and receiving valuable constructive feedback.
These grants are extremely popular, and often inspire students with a lifelong love of research. Applications should be made by prospective supervisors but can involve the student. The grant call is open all year, with three cutoff dates of 31st January, 30th April and 31st August. For all cutoff points, we aim to have made a decision whether to fund within 6 weeks. This should allow for maximum flexibility to fit in with different institutional timetables.
Student Fundraising
PetSavers is supported solely by donations, legacies and fundraising, receiving no government support or any of the BSAVA membership fee.
So we’re incredibly grateful to students such as Mir Watts and friends from Aberystwyth vet school who held a student ball in aid of PetSavers, which raised £1136.57!
“I have had an excellent time being the BSAVA rep for Aberystwyth, it’s been fantastic to have the opportunity to raise money for PetSavers whilst also holding an event I hope may become a future tradition.“
Mir Watts, student vet
We have more fundraising ideas and advice in our downloadable Fundraising Pack.
Our students benefit hugely from undertaking a funded research project, gaining valuable lab experience and presentation skills. Hear from some of them:
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Alex DaviesAs an undergraduate vet at the RVC, Alex carried out a retrospective analysis of feline lymphoma of the nervous system that was funded by BSAVA PetSavers. Read what he found most rewarding about his study and how presenting at BSAVA Congress boosted his confidence and communication skills in our interview with him. Listen to Alex talk about his passion for practice-based research as a primary care vet in this podcast. |
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Rebecca VerhovenHarper Adams veterinary nursing student Rebecca Verhoven compared cotton wool and non-woven gauze swabs as materials to clean the pre-operative surgical site of ovariohysterectomies. |
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Vet students Sze Lynn Yuen from Cambridge vet school and Emily Blackwell from Liverpool vet schoolSze Lynn and Emily both undertook student research projects in 2021 and presented their findings at BSAVA Congress 2022. Their abstract presentations are free to access here. Emily’s presentation won her the BSAVA PetSavers Clinical Abstract Award, and Sze Lynn discusses her project here. |