Veterinary students win awards for academic work on pain management in cows and cats

Veterinary students from Australia and the United Kingdom have been recognised as part of the Veterinary Evidence Student Awards 2024.

Every year the Awards challenge young veterinary students from around the world to critically examine the evidence on a certain topic and submit a written knowledge summary on their findings to Veterinary Evidence, a peer-reviewed veterinary journal.

University of Sydney student Amelia Cannadine took home first place for her Knowledge Summary on using anti-inflammatory medication in cows.

Amelia said: “I entered the competition to contribute to the veterinary evidence base focused on improving the welfare of livestock. It is a topic gaining more and more interest in the veterinary industry and there is a lot of room for growth. I feel this Knowledge Summary will allow clinicians and producers to improve the welfare of their breeding cows.

“I found the process of publishing through Veterinary Evidence very user friendly. Their research summary template provides key headings to help writers to include the most crucial evidence related to their specific topic, in turn creating an interesting and concise Knowledge Summary.”

Oliver Wilkinson of the University of Bristol and Isobel Lawrence of the University of Liverpool took second and third place, respectively.

The titles of each of the winning entries are:

• 1st place: Amelia Cannadine – University of Sydney – 'Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug administration to periparturient cows to reduce postpartum pain-related behaviours'
• 2nd place: Oliver Wilkinson – University of Bristol – ‘The therapeutic effectiveness of oral cannabidiol in addition to current treatment in cats with osteoarthritis’
• 3rd place: Isobel Lawrence – University of Liverpool – ‘Methadone or buprenorphine: which is the better analgesic for feline ovariohysterectomy?’

Veterinary Evidence Editor in Chief, Peter Cockcroft, said: “I would like to congratulate the winners of the Veterinary Evidence Student Awards 2024 and acknowledge their achievements in researching and writing knowledge summaries of such high quality and of a publishable standard. The key scientific skills used are an important professional toolkit in the practice of evidence-based veterinary medicine, and the publication of knowledge summaries further supports the profession in this endeavour. I would also like to thank everyone who submitted a knowledge summary for consideration for an award."

All submissions were reviewed by the journal’s editors and reviewers, using a grading criteria rubric. Only entries judged to be 'of a publishable standard' were considered for the top three awards. All entries judged to be 'of a publishable standard' are considered for publication by Veterinary Evidence, whether they go on to win an Award or not.

The annual Awards are open to undergraduate students studying for a degree or equivalent vocational qualification in veterinary medicine, veterinary nursing, veterinary physiotherapy, or veterinary biosciences.

The Awards are run by Veterinary Evidence, which is owned and published by veterinary charity RCVS Knowledge. If you would like to enter the Veterinary Evidence Student Awards 2025, the deadline for applications is 10 January 2025. You can apply here.