"The power of the Fellowship is, in my opinion, about being able to maximise impact by speaking together as a Fellowship" - RCVS president Melissa Donald.

New Fellows and board members welcomed.

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) has welcomed 30 new Fellows and three new board members at its annual Fellowship Day event.

Hosted at The Royal Institution on Friday 11 November, the event formally welcomed the new 2022 Fellows, whilst also celebrating those made Fellows in 2021 and 2020, who were not able to experience an in-person Fellowship Day.

Beginning with a speech from outgoing Chair of the Fellowship Board, Professor John Innes, the event then saw the 2020 and 2021 Fellows invited to the stage for group photos, before the 2022 Fellows were formally welcome and handed scrolls by RCVS president Melissa Donald.

“Whilst you have all succeeded in doing this as individuals, and continue to do so, the power of the Fellowship is, in my opinion, about being able to maximise impact by speaking together as a Fellowship. In this respect, there is still a long way to go in this newly revived society,” Melissa Donald told the new Fellows.

“So I hope that as we celebrate here today with the incoming Fellows, that we also take time to consider what being a Fellow means to us, and how the title is perceived by other members of the profession and by the wider world too.”

Following this, veterinary students Maxim Bembinov, Sol Elliot and Eleanor Wilson presented their research as finalists of the Fellows of the Future competition.

Maxim Bambinov, student at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), was judged as the winning entrant for his research, entitled 'Colour Doppler Ultrasound as a Diagnostic Tool for Equine SDFT Lesions'. 

Attendees also heard a keynote speech from Professor Alan Wilson on 'Fast Animals: Anatomy of Athleticism', as well as panel discussions on animal behavioural therapy and quality of life. 

To end the day's festivities, the new members of the Fellowship Board were welcomed. Dr Chris Tufnell takes over as Chair of the Fellowship Board, Professor Anna Meredith is the new Chair of the Fellowship Science Advisory Panel, and Dr Emma Milne is the new Fellowship Projects and Engagement officer.

Giving his first address as Chair of the Fellowship Board, Dr Tufnell said: “Fellowship Day provided fantastic evidence of how keen the Fellows are to embrace opportunities that benefit not only our professions, but wider society too.



“It was exciting to see students taking part in the day as part of the Fellows of the Future competition and all three presentations were extremely impressive. 



“As Chair, I am going to be focussing on science, service, and trust. As a Fellowship we must work together to support those that have chosen careers of service to deliver the best veterinary science in an easily digestible manner.

“In that way we can all continue to strengthen public trust and move the profession forward. I’m excited that I’ll be working with such a dynamic Fellowship board to explore the ways in which we can combine the art and science of veterinary medicine and to make the Fellowship the best it can be.”

Further information on the new Fellows and board members can be found on the RCVS website.

Image (C) Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons