Conference inspires students to explore a career in research

Students from veterinary schools across the country have been welcomed to a conference at Harper & Keele Veterinary School (HKVS) exploring the benefits of a research career. 

The INSPIRE Vet Student Research Conference offered students the chance to present and share their research, followed by opportunities to network with peers.  

Opening the event, Professor Philip Robinson, Deputy Head of HKVS, said: “The INSPIRE programme provides funded opportunities for vet students to experience scientific research and, as the name suggests, inspire them to get involved in research endeavours in the future, whether as their chosen full-time career path or as an integral component of their clinical practice.  

“The conference showcased vet student research projects from various UK vet schools, providing students with a great platform to talk about what they had discovered. The complementary talks from experienced academics provided examples of routes into research and demonstrated the potential scope of veterinary research and research career pathways, something we are very keen to promote at Harper & Keele.” 

The one day event featured several guest speakers, including Dr Steve Shaw from the University of Nottingham, who presented a clinician’s view of research; Professor Lisa Yon, also from the University of Nottingham, who spoke about how her veterinary training prepared her to work with wildlife; HKVS’s Dr Zoe Davies, who discussed her research on the biomechanics of movement in racehorses and canine amputees, and Keele University’s Professor Pip Beard, who explored various pathways for vets into a research career.  

The INSPIRE programme, coordinated by The Academy of Medical Sciences and supported by the Wellcome Trust, funds focused activities to encourage more students in medicine, dentistry, and veterinary studies to engage with research. 

Ezra Chantry, Lead INSPIRE Student Ambassador at HKVS and Conference Chair, added: “Research is about much more than sitting in a lab all day, and there are so many ways veterinary students can get involved.  

“The INSPIRE Research Conference was an excellent opportunity for students to learn more about the many different careers paths vets can take in research, from helping to stop new veterinary epidemics to improving animal welfare in the UK and beyond. I am so grateful to all the attendees and everyone that helped make the conference happen, and I hope it is just the beginning of our efforts to inspire and support veterinary research.” 

Dr Zoe Davies discussing her research on the biomechanics of movement in racehorses and canine amputees