IVC research bursary

Research bursary fund within IVC and Evidensia
The aim of the research bursary is to provide funding to help veterinarians within IVC
and Evidensia to carry out clinical research projects.
The bursary fund will be held within the IVC Academy and the Head of Academy will
appoint a small committee to consider applications. The primary purpose of the
committee is to agree whether an application merits an award, and the size of the
award. The secondary purpose is to offer advice to allow unsuccessful applicants to
improve the application before resubmission, or advice to successful applicants that
may improve the value of the project.
The committee will also consider applications for funding to allow veterinarians who
have completed projects funded by the scheme (and projects completed without
funding but meeting the same criteria) to travel to conferences to present their work.
The committee will look favourably on applications that demonstrate co-funding in
money or kind from other sources (e.g. commercial partners, other applications to
research bodies, self-funding). In most instances, the committee will not in any case
not meet the full costs involved.
Who is eligible for funding?
Interns and GP vets, but not those enrolled on formal residency
programmes. These inevitably require research projects and these
should be carried locally as part of the employment costs.
Joint applications from employees are encouraged, and projects that
involve more than one clinic are also encouraged.
What activities are eligible for financial support?
The funding from a successful application can be used in these ways:
1) Lab fees, at cost, either in house, with our commercial partners (e.g.
Idexx, TDDS) or at research facilities
2) Travel and subsistence for lab work, attending other practices, and
sample collection. A separate application can be made after completion
of the project for assistance to present results at a professional
conference

3) Not clinical work (examinations, in house radiographs etc:). This should
be borne by the local business as agreed with the Clinical Director or
equivalent
4) Not drug provision. This should be clinically justified and chargeable or
through drug company support
5) University registration fees: PhD or MSc registration is typically £2000
pa for part time students. Funds to cover half cost each year for up to 4
years subject to satisfactory progress (candidate to provide a progress
report to the committee each year)
6) Not fees for professional memberships or activity that falls within clinical
CPD
7) Not work involving animal experimentation (i.e. that is outside the
definition of veterinary surgery, or not covered by an Animal Test
Certificate). This restricts funding to observational studies but avoids
IVC being seen as supporting animal experimentation. BSAVA fund
research through Petsavers and apply similar criteria. The committee
will need to have evidence that an ethical committee had approved the
work, or had deemed that ethical approval was not required
8) Fees for statistical advice can be funded
9) Publication fees may be covered if the committee considers that these
are merited by the value of the project to animal welfare and the career
of the applicant, and no alternative route to publication is available
What does the Board want from each successful applicant?
1) A short description of the project describing the clinical problem, the aim
of the project and the intended methods and materials. This should
generally be limited to 500-600 words. This should have the support and
sign off from the applicant’s Clinical Director or line manager. This
should be emailed to Sally Clark, Head of Academy using
sclark@independentvetcare.co.uk
2) A description of how the work makes a contribution to advancing small
animal, farm animal or equine veterinary care and/or animal welfare (i.e.
has real world clinical impact now or in the foreseeable future)
3) A time plan for execution, lab work and manuscript preparation.
4) A list of persons involved in the study

5) Evidence that this would advance the career of the fund holder, such as
through progressing towards a post grad qualification, or achieving
publication in national or international veterinary journals
6) Promotes the local business and/or IVC or Evidensia, for example by
producing work that can be published as above, or is likely to be
accepted as an abstract or poster at a national or international clinical
veterinary meeting (e.g BSAVA, BVOA, BVZS, ECVS, ECVIM, BEVA,
ACVS, AAEP etc). The applicant should include a publication plan which
highlights which scientific journals and/or congresses are intended for
publication. However, there should also be a plan for how to publish in
layman magazines and similar.
Other information
1) In considering an application, the committee will take into account the
likelihood that the results will be acceptable for publication
2) For projects requiring funding over more than one year, the applicant will
be required to produce a progress report each year, mapping the work
completed against the initial plan and justifying costs incurred to date.
The committee may adjust funding in subsequent years according to the
progress achieved or otherwise
3) On completion, the committee expects to receive a report of publishable
standard, and to use extracts or a summary from this for internal and
external promotion, subject to any restrictions that this has on later
publication in a professional journal
Presentation of results
The committee will also consider applications for funding to allow presentation
of the work at national and international conferences. Applications for this
funding can come from successful applicants for the research bursary once the
project is completed, or from others who have completed similar projects
without IVC Research Bursary support. Funding will be contributed towards the
following:
1) A single person from the project
2) Travel and subsistence costs within IVC general or country specific
guidance for expenses
3) Costs of producing a poster (design, printing, delivery)

4) Some conferences charge for presenting results: these conferences will
not generally be considered for funding
5) The fund may not be used for registration fees for any meeting
6) For international meetings, the committee will consider if the project is of
sufficient merit to justify the additional cost incurred, compared to a
national or European meeting
December 2017