Parity between women and men as RCVS confirms 48 new Fellows

This autumn the RCVS will welcome 48 veterinary surgeons to the RCVS Fellowship, the highest number to join the learned society in a single year since 2020.

As well as being the highest number to join in several years, this year there is also an equal split between female and male veterinary surgeons who have been admitted to the Fellowship, our learned society which seeks to promote scientific excellence, further professional skills and practice, and enrich public discourse on veterinary science. The majority of new Fellows admitted in 2022 and 2023 were men, although women made up the majority of Fellows admitted in 2021.

Of the 48 individuals admitted to the Fellowship, 30 were for meritorious contributions to clinical practice, 15 were for meritorious contributions to the profession, and three were for meritorious contributions to knowledge. The full list of those welcomed to the Fellowship this year can be found on our dedicated Fellowship webpage. 

All 48 will be formally welcomed by Fellowship Chair Dr Niall Connell FRCVS (pictured) at this year’s Fellowship Day which takes place at One Great George Street in London on Thursday 28 November 2024.

Niall said: “"This year we really have a rich, diverse harvest of wonderful new RCVS Fellows. Massive congratulations to the 48 veterinary surgeons who have distinguished themselves by demonstrating their impressive career achievements and commitment.

“Our new Fellows are joining a learned society which will utilise their experience and dedication to further enhance our veterinary world. My thanks to the chairs and assessors of the three Fellowship streams for their hard work.

“I'm really looking forward to meeting our new Fellows on Fellowship Day, where I’m also excited to be hearing from some of our upcoming new veterinary talent via the Fellows of the Future presentations. I am always inspired to believe that our profession is in very safe hands for the future based on the quality of the young people who have presented in previous years.”

The Fellows of the Future competition is an opportunity for undergraduate vet students and recent graduates (graduating no earlier than 2023) to submit a summary of their latest research and so have the chance to present their research in front of a panel of Fellows at this year’s Fellowship Day.

If you or someone you know might be interested in taking part, please visit our Fellows of the Future Competition webpage where you can submit a title and summary of their research (500 words max) in a Microsoft Word document or as a PDF.

The top three submissions will be invited to present at Fellowship Day in November, while the top 10 runners-up will be invited to attend and create a poster of their research to be displayed on screens during the breaks.

Entrants outside of the top ten will also be given the opportunity to present their research to a panel of Fellows during an online webinar session close to Fellowship Day, date to be confirmed.

The deadline for Fellows of the Future submissions is 4pm on Tuesday 1 October 2024. Applicants chosen to present will be informed in the week commencing Monday 21 October 2024.