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Peer-Review Mentorship Program launched
If a mentee submits several successful reviews, they may be invited to become an independent reviewer.
The scheme links new peer-reviewers with mentors to build their skills.

A peer-review mentorship program has been launched to support potential peer-reviewers with building their skills.

The program will connect those wishing to become peer-reviewers with an experienced mentor to guide them with improving their skills and progressing their personal development.

The initiative is being led by Veterinary Evidence, an online, open access, peer-reviewed journal published by RCVS Knowledge. The journal aims to improve quality of care by publishing content on evidence-based veterinary medicine and its application in veterinary practice.

Mentors and mentees can register to join the peer-review program, after which they will be partnered up based on their reviewing interests. They will then be assigned a relevant paper by Veterinary Evidence to work through together across three weeks.

The mentee will be guided through the peer-reviewing process, with the mentor providing them with feedback. The combined review can then be submitted.

If the mentee submits several successful reviews, the editor-in-chief may invite them to become an independent reviewer for Veterinary Evidence.

The initiative aims to improve diversity and inclusivity, and encourages reviewers of differing disciplines and backgrounds to apply.

Veterinary Evidence hopes that this will build a broader range of perspectives and expertise in the process, and improve the quality of evidence-based content.

Kit Sturgess, editor-in-chief of Veterinary Evidence, said: “Becoming a mentee is a great way to continue your professional development as it allows you to contribute to the advancement of your field, hone your critical evaluation skills, and boost your own professional reputation.

“Signing up to become a mentor gives you an invaluable chance to enhance your own skills, knowledge and professional development, build meaningful relationships within your area of expertise, and help shape the next generation of veterinary peer reviewers.”

To register, sign-up to RCVS Knowledge’s peer-review scheme and send them an email at editorial@veterinaryevidence.org saying whether you’d like to be a mentor or mentee.

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Strangles survey seeks views of horse owners

News Story 1
 With Strangles Awareness Week just around the corner (5-11 May), vets are being encouraged to share a survey about the disease with their horse-owning clients.

The survey, which has been designed by Dechra, aims to raise awareness of Strangles and promote best practices to prevent its transmission. It includes questions about horse owners' experiences of strangles, together with preventative measures and vaccination.

Respondents to the survey will be entered into a prize draw to win two VIP tickets to Your Horse Live 2025. To access the survey, click here 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
DAERA to reduce BVD 'grace period'

DAERA has reminded herd keepers of an upcoming reduction to the 'grace period' to avoid BVD herd restrictions.

From 1 May 2025, herd keepers will have seven days to cull any BVD positive or inconclusive animals to avoid restrictions being applied to their herd.

It follows legislation introduced on 1 February, as DAERA introduces herd movement restrictions through a phased approach. Herd keepers originally had 28 days to cull BVD positive or inconclusive animals.

DAERA says that, providing herd keepers use the seven-day grace period, no herds should be restricted within the first year of these measures.

Additional measures, which will target herds with animals over 30 days old that haven't been tested for BVD, will be introduced from 1 June 2025.

More information is available on the DAERA website.