Graduate publishes BSAVA Petsavers-backed research project findings

A Harper Adams graduate whose final year project was backed by BSAVA Petsavers has published her findings on the British Small Animal Veterinary Association site.

BSc (Hons) Veterinary Nursing with Companion Animal Behaviour student Becky Verhoven, from Buckinghamshire, worked to examine surgery site preparation in dogs for her Honours Research Project –with BSAVA Petsavers funding some of the cost of the work.

As a result, Becky got to present her work at the BSAVA Congress as well as now publishing a piece on the BSAVA site.

In 2021, we funded a student vet nurse project at @HarperAdamsUni exploring how to minimise the preoperative microbial load. Rebecca Verhoven and Kat Hart report on their findings: https://t.co/cNzasD5Y2O pic.twitter.com/tQBMg5wrBc

— BSAVA PetSavers (@PetSavers_UK) November 2, 2022

You can read that piece here, including Becky’s advice to students who are considering following in her footsteps.

She states: “On submission of my application to PetSavers, approval was not granted immediately; however, PetSavers was quick to communicate constructive feedback and offer additional guidance on suggested revisions.

“Support was readily available, and I was fortunate enough to receive a Zoom call from a member of the team to discuss the committees’ comments to move forward with my project. I am so thankful to PetSavers for seeing value in my proposal and encouraging me to resubmit a successful application.

“The advice I would offer to any student thinking of applying for a BSAVA PetSavers research grant would be to get organized and prepare for submission ahead of time to avoid unnecessary stress, do not hesitate to ask questions if you are unsure, and to reach out to more experienced individuals in your chosen field of study for advice.

“Most importantly, believe in yourself and your research - and the PetSavers team will do the same.”

In a piece for the Harper Adams site earlier this year, Becky and her HRP supervisor, Veterinary Nursing Lecturer Kat Hart, explained how the funding via Petsavers helped to move the research forward.

Kat added: “Becky’s success shows just what a Veterinary Nursing degree can do – and that research isn’t just limited to other veterinary professionals – we can all have an impact.”

Meanwhile, Becky paid tribute to Kat and her colleagues at Harper Adams for their help with both her research and throughout her degree, saying: “I can’t exaggerate enough how brilliant the team of veterinary nursing lecturers are.

“I don’t doubt that if I was struggling, without hesitation, each and every one of them would offer me a world of support. They do really go above and beyond for their students, and I have experienced this personally. I couldn’t be more grateful.”

Read the full piece here.