As a second-year veterinary medicine student at the RVC, receiving the AVTRW Diamond Jubilee award (now the AVTRW Acorn Award) was extremely valuable for contributing to my research project on ‘Clinicians’ Views on a New Core Syllabus of Veterinary Anatomy’.

The project aimed to evaluate the clinical relevance of a newly proposed veterinary anatomy syllabus by gathering views from first-opinion clinicians through an anonymous survey. Twenty-two clinicians provided feedback on the syllabus representativeness across body systems and the practical challenges faced by new graduates.

Results showed well-represented areas in the syllabus, such as cardiovascular and reproductive systems, alongside underrepresented topics like equine musculoskeletal anatomy and non-canine dental anatomy. Besides, clinicians also highlighted difficulties new graduates face in applying anatomical knowledge practically and suggested more hands-on training and the inclusion of clinical exemplars, such as cherry eye and gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV).

Receiving the AVTRW Diamond Jubilee award and presenting my work at the 78th AVTRW conference at Harper & Keele Veterinary School was an incredibly rewarding experience, especially for me as a student doing a formal research project for the first time.

I received valuable feedback on my presentation and my research from professionals in clinical and educational fields, and I also had the opportunity to connect and communicate with them.

This valuable opportunity inspired my passion for research and veterinary education, and I am committed to continuing my career in these areas in the future.