Dozens of veterinary surgeons welcomed as new RCVS Fellows

The RCVS has welcomed 44 veterinary surgeons as new RCVS Fellows -- the highest level of membership of the College - after they successfully applied under the new Fellowship initiative earlier this year.

Following a review process the Fellowship was relaunched in April with three new routes to entry to allow a greater proportion of the profession to join its ranks.

Of the 44 successful candidates, 19 were for meritorious contributions to knowledge; 18 were for meritorious contributions to clinical practice; and seven were for meritorious contributions to the profession (view the full list of RCVS Fellows for 2016).

Dr Bradley Viner, our Senior Vice-President, said: “I was delighted that we were able to relaunch the Fellowship and open up the application process and I am tremendously proud that so many members of the profession successfully put themselves forward as candidates.

“I think it is safe to say that this is the greatest number of people who have ever joined the Fellowship in a single year and it represents our hopes for its future – that of a learned society open to members of the profession from all walks of life and contributing to the profession in all sorts of ways.”

The successful candidates have now been invited to attend an inaugural Fellowship Day at The Royal Institution in London on Wednesday 19 October, where they will have the opportunity to celebrate their achievement with both new and existing Fellows, and hear more about the future of the Fellowship itself and their role in it.

The day will also feature a keynote speech from Consultant Medical Oncologist and Professor of Cancer Medicine Martin Gore CBE entitled ‘Research at the coalface: the pros and cons, the ups and the downs’.

Nick Bacon is Chair of the Fellowship Board which was responsible for reviewing the applications for the Fellowship and will also be speaking at the event in October. He said: “The aim of the new Fellowship initiative is to advance and develop clinical and professional standards by providing a resource of independent knowledge for the benefit of the veterinary profession, the scientific community, and the general public as a whole.

“Fellowship is the highest status of membership of the College and so I’m very much looking forward to Fellowship Day to meet all those who were successful and celebrating with them this very significant achievement.”