International first in Veterinary Evidence Student Awards

International first in Veterinary Evidence Student Awards

A student from Australia has won the Veterinary Evidence Student Awards 2022, the first time an international submission has received first place.

The awards, run by veterinary charity RCVS Knowledge’s peer-reviewed journal Veterinary Evidence, recognise and support students’ engagement with evidence-based veterinary medicine (EBVM) and its application into practice.

Sarah Daphne Foo, a final year veterinary medicine student from the University of Sydney, Australia, wrote the winning Knowledge Summary, which explores the evidence behind supraglottic airway devices versus endotracheal intubation for stable anaesthesia in rabbits.

Sarah said she chose to focus on the topic as rabbits are becoming more popular as pets, and as their numbers increase, so does the requirement for procedures that require a general anaesthetic.

Her paper found evidence to support the use of both devices in maintaining stable anaesthesia in rabbits, concluding that the final choice of airway maintenance device should be based on the availability of equipment, the training of the practitioner and the procedure to be undertaken.

Speaking about the win, she said, “’As a final year student hoping to publish my first paper, I was excited by the opportunity to participate in this competition, and I am honoured to receive this award.

“As someone very new to veterinary research and publication, I felt supported throughout the process, and feel much more confident in writing future Knowledge Summaries.

“I chose my Knowledge Summary topic as I have a special interest in exotics and zoo medicine and hope to specialise in the future once I graduate from the DVM at the end of this year. It was a question I found myself asking whilst working in general practice throughout my degree, and I hope it is useful to others in the veterinary profession. I look forward to contributing future Knowledge Summaries to Veterinary Evidence.