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Veterinary Nurse wins international research award
Michelle Farrow is the first veterinary nurse to win the award.

Michelle Farrow celebrated for canine health research.

Michelle Farrow, a student at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) has been announced as the winner of the Postgraduate Student Inspiration Award, part of The Kennel Club's International Canine Health Awards.

A Veterinary Nursing and Bioveterinary Science graduate of the University of Bristol, Michelle is currently undertaking a Master by Research degree at the RVC.

The award was presented in honour of Michelle's research on how online information sourcing potentially influences owners when deciding about whether to seek veterinary care for dogs exhibiting clinical signs of disease.

This research includes a novel interactive survey which explores how owners make decisions about when to seek veterinary care, and the findings of this will support veterinary understanding of owner perception and the influence of the internet.

On winning the award, Michelle commented: “I am humbled and honoured to be the first Veterinary Nurse to win the International Canine Health Awards Postgraduate Student Inspiration Award. 

“My clinical experience as a Veterinary Nurse has really enhanced and informed my current research work, which is why I believe that Veterinary Nurses can be a real asset to research, bringing new and challenging perspectives.”

Set to be presented in a virtual ceremony on Wednesday 28 September, the award will see Michelle receive £10,000 for her research.

Chairman of the International Canine Health Awards, Dr Andrew Higgins, said: “Michelle is the first Veterinary Nurse to win an Award and the judges were very impressed by her enthusiasm and dedication. 

“I have no doubts that she will go forward teaching and inspiring future generations of nurses and other veterinary professionals on the health and welfare of dogs. 

“I would like to offer my congratulations to Michelle on receiving the Postgraduate Student Inspiration Award 2022 and I am looking forward to hearing more of the plans to promote the Veterinary Nurses in Research initiative.”

Further information on the International Canine Health Awards can be found on The Kennel Club website.

 

Image (C) The Kennel Club

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Applications open for MMI research grants

News Story 1
 RCVS' Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) has launched round two of its veterinary mental health research grants.

Researchers have until 11.59pm on Wednesday, 28 May 2025 to apply for a grant for research which reflects MMI's 2025 focus areas.

Only one Impact Grant was awarded last year, and so this year there are two Discovery Grants and one Impact Grants available. Each Discovery Grant is worth £5,000 and the Impact Grant is worth £15,000.

For more information or to apply, email researchgrants@rcvs.org.uk to contact the MMI team.

 

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News Shorts
BBC Radio 4 documentary addresses corporate fees

BBC Radio 4's File on 4 Investigates has released a documentary exploring how corporate-owned veterinary practices may be inflating bills to increase profit.

Released on 15 April, 'What's Happening To Your Vet Bills?' revealed the policies which many corporate groups have in place to increase their profits. This included targets and upgrades which veterinary teams are tasked with meeting on a regular basis.

It also features Anrich Vets, an independently-owned practice based in Wigan. Following the case of Staffordshire terrier Benjy, who is diagnosed with a tumour, the documentary shares how the team were able to offer contextualised care and advice to make the procedure as affordable as possible for his owners.

The documentary can be heard on demand on BBC iPlayer.