Last call to submit RCVS Awards nominations

There is just under a month to go until the end of the nomination period for the 2020 RCVS Awards & Honours, recognising veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses and lay people working to improve animal health and welfare within or alongside the veterinary professions.

There are six awards for which nominations can be made which cover veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses and lay people working in both the UK and abroad, at all stages of their career and across a wide range of veterinary work.

Niall Connell, RCVS President, commented: “Since I joined RCVS Council in 2013 one of the most humbling highlights of the calendar is seeing the various RCVS Honours and Awards being bestowed upon some of the most amazing, dedicated, passionate and impactful people both within and outside the UK veterinary professions.

“What our awards are looking for are those who are enhancing animal health and welfare and public health in the UK and abroad, who are inspiring and mentoring their colleagues, who are advocating for the professions and our issues on a public platform.

“I am really looking forward to hearing their stories and presenting their awards as the last official duty as my presidential year –so I would implore my colleagues to take the next few weeks to think about who they most admire in the profession and nominate them.

“To get some inspiration please visit our Awards & Honours webpage where you can find out more about each of the awards and find examples and case studies of previous award winners, as well as watch a number of videos featuring interviews with previous award winners.”

The College is seeking nominations for all six of its awards, which will be presented to the successful nominees by Dr Niall Connell at Royal College Day 2020, which will take place at 1 Great George Street on 10 July 2020. The awards for nominations are:

• The Queen’s Medal: the highest honour that can be bestowed upon a veterinary surgeon for a highly distinguished career with sustained and outstanding achievements throughout.
• The Veterinary Nursing Golden Jubilee Award: this award is for a veterinary nurse who has had a sustained and distinguished career, who can demonstrate a leadership role within the profession and who can act as an ambassador for the value of veterinary nurses and their work.
• RCVS International Award: this award is for vets, vet nurses or lay people who work internationally, from either within or outside the UK, in making an outstanding contribution to, for example, raising veterinary standards, veterinary education and improving animal health and welfare.
• RCVS Impact Award: this award is for vets or vet nurses who have recently, or are currently, undertaking a project, initiative or similar that has a significant impact on the profession at large, animal health or welfare, or public health. Such impact could have been made through any field of veterinary endeavour, including clinical practice, research, education or veterinary politics.
• RCVS Inspiration Award: this award is for vets or vet nurses at any stage of their career who have demonstrated the ability to inspire and enthuse others consistently throughout. It is open to those who have inspired and motivated individuals anywhere within the profession and recognises those who have gone ‘above and beyond’ what may normally be expected from a professional colleague.
• Honorary Associateship: this honour may be conferred on a small number of lay people each year, in recognition of their special contribution to the veterinary sphere. It recognises the full range of individuals who contribute to the veterinary and animal health sector including scientists, lecturers, journalists, charity-workers, farriers, farmers and those involved in the commercial field.

Nominations can be made either through completing an online application form or by downloading a PDF application form that can then be either emailed or posted to the RCVS. The full nomination criteria for each of the awards, as well as further guidance notes, can be found on the RCVS Honours & Awards webpage.

The deadline for nominations is Friday 10 January 2020. All awards will be conferred at Royal College Day 2020.

For an informal talk about the awards and how to make a nomination, please contact Susie Tomlin, Executive Secretary, on [email protected] or 020 7202 0761.