President welcomes new MsRCVS and RVNs

Niall Connell, RCVS President, welcomed new vets and VNs who were trained overseas to the Registers of Veterinary Surgeons and Veterinary Nurses at a ceremony on Monday 2 September 2019.

These new vets and VNs needed to pass examinations in order to practice in the UK, as they qualified outside the European Union and/or do not hold RCVS-recognised veterinary or veterinary nursing qualifications.

For veterinary surgeons, the exam that they need to pass is the RCVS Statutory Membership Examination, which consists of both written papers and clinical, practical examinations.

This year’s successful candidates were:

• Mr Mohamed Gamal Sayed Mahmoud who graduated from Cairo University, Egypt in 2005
• Miss Gemma Louise Cockram who graduated from St George's University. Grenada in 2018
• Dr Scott Alexander Young who graduated from Ross University, St Kitts in 2018
• Miss Francesca Marriott Mateluna who graduated from Universidad Mayor, Chile in 2018
• Ms Lindsay Anne Leonard who graduated from Ross University, St Kitts in 2019

• Dr Maha Bousrih who graduated from University Sidi Thabet, Sidi Thabet, Tunisia

• Dr Sheen Yee Goh who graduated from University Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia

• Dr Brian Murray who graduated from University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Trinidad  & Tobago

For VNs, the exam they need to pass is the RCVS VN Pre-registration Examination, where candidates are required to complete a series of clinical skills, all of which are taken from the RCVS Day One Skills for VNs.

This year’s successful candidates were:

• Mrs Monica Hall who earned her certificate in veterinary nursing in Australia
• Miss Nicola Jane Stuart who earned her diploma in veterinary nursing in New Zealand
• Ms Maike Engelhardt who earned her certificate in veterinary nursing in Australia

• Ms Aliesha Tait who completed her Diploma in veterinary nursing in New Zealand

• Miss Alexandra Whittington who completed her Degree in veterinary nursing in Australia

• Miss Catherine Woodcock who completed her Certificate in veterinary nursing in Australia

• Ms Jessica Atkins who completed her Certificate in veterinary nursing in Australia

• Miss Judith Cedeno who completed her Veterinary Technician qualification in Canada

• Ms Helena Coaley who completed her Certificate in veterinary nursing in Australia

• Ms Hannah Colman who completed her Certificate in veterinary nursing in Australia

• Mr Adam Gerhart who completed his Veterinary Technician qualification in the USA

• Ms Steffani Hawk who completed her Veterinary Technician qualification in the USA

• Miss Sally Marriott who completed her Diploma in veterinary nursing in New Zealand

• Mrs Georgia Marsden who completed her Certificate in veterinary nursing in Australia

• Miss Emily O’Keefe who completed her Certificate in veterinary nursing in Australia

• Miss Sarah Uiterwijk who completed her Certificate in veterinary nursing in Australia

• Mr Jai Varma who completed his Veterinary Technician qualification in the USA

• Miss Lucia Boyd who completed her Diploma in veterinary nursing in New Zealand

• Miss Sarah Brown who completed her Certificate in veterinary nursing in Australia

• Miss Kwai Cheng who completed her Certificate in veterinary nursing in Australia

• Miss Carly Gordon who completed her Certificate in veterinary nursing in Australia

• Miss Cara Mathison who completed her Certificate in veterinary nursing in Australia

• Miss Megan McPherson who completed her Diploma in veterinary nursing in New Zealand

• Miss Sophie McPherson who completed her Certificate in veterinary nursing in Australia

• Mrs Emma Myers who completed her Certificate in veterinary nursing in Australia

• Miss Amy Payne who completed her Certificate in veterinary nursing in Australia

• Miss Melissa Quarrie who completed her Animal Health Technology qualification in Canada

• Miss Kirsten Reid who completed her Certificate in veterinary nursing in Australia

• Miss Paige Sadd who completed her Certificate in veterinary nursing in Australia

• Miss Morgan Warren who completed her Certificate in veterinary nursing in Australia

• Mrs Faith Whittle who completed her Veterinary Technician qualification in the USA

On Monday 2 September, alongside their friends and family, the successful and attending candidates joined Niall and Lizzie Lockett, RCVS CEO, for a ceremony at the RCVS offices in Belgravia House, followed by drinks and food.

During this ceremony, all candidates made their professional declarations in which they promised to pursue their work with integrity, accept their responsibilities to the public, clients, the profession and the RCVS and ensure the health and welfare of animals in their care. The full declaration is available on the College’s website.

This year is the first time that that both veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses have attended the same ceremony. Previously, VNs who pass the pre-registration exam were welcomed to the register on VN Day, held at London Zoo, with the newly graduated vet nurses.

Before taking the registrants through their professional declarations, Niall Connell welcomed the candidates and their families. Speaking after the event he said: “It takes a lot of determination and preparation to pass these exams and it was incredibly humbling for me to have the opportunity to welcome the successful vets and vet nurses to the registers. It has been a great ceremony – truly inspiring to lead the new vets and VNs through their declarations in front of their friends and family, and I can’t wait to see how they support our UK professions.”

One of the successful candidates and new MRCVS, Frances Pia Marriot Mateluna, commented on the day: “I am really proud of myself, because the exam is very hard and there can be a lot of ups and downs. It’s really nice to be able to say that we can start the next chapter of our lives.”

A fellow new member, Lindsay Anne Leonard, expanded: “It was exciting to be here today. It’s finally like that chapter is finished, because you spend so much time studying. I don’t want to say that you are in a standstill, but you kind of are in something like this, and now that it’s over you can start planning and get excited for next steps.”

Successful VN candidate, Monica Hall who had recently moved back to the UK from Australia added: “It was lovely to be at the ceremony – it was quite emotional. I felt very proud.”

More information for internationally trained veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses can be found online.