EBVM Network Grants

Our Network Grants 2015 programme was open to EBVM Network members and invited original projects that contribute to strengthening the evidence-base in the veterinary sciences and making that evidence available to those in practice.

There was fierce competition for the grants, covering a huge variety of disciplines. The successful applicants and proposals are:

• Dr Kristen Verheyen of the Royal Veterinary College to develop an equine VetCompass, which aims to form an extensive list of diagnostic terms relevant to equine practice. Electronic patient records will be extracted from participating practices for 18 months and data will then be analysed to estimate frequency of, and determine risk factors for the most common diseases and conditions. The outline of the project is to aid the diagnostic process for vets and help horse owners to minimise the risk of disease.
  
  
• Dr Elizabeth Jackson of the Royal Veterinary College to expand the adoption of EBVM amongst UK veterinary practices by identifying how EBVM improves practice performance. She is therefore producing an evidence-based business case for EBVM that can be clearly communicated to stakeholders.
  
  
• Dr Ava Firth of Vets-Now to investigate the teaching/learning process of initiating an EBVM-based culture in a large, first-opinion veterinary company. Taking an education-focused approach, Dr Firth will investigate how people learn the multitude of skills required to practise EBVM, as well as the obstacles often encountered in its practise and which solutions are useful. Teaching will take place through webinars, online discussion, assignments and workshops.
  
  

We look forward to the outcome of these projects, and to the advancement of EBVM approaches that they provide.