Supervisors: Dr Sarah Channon, Dr Rachel Davis, Sarah Batt-Williams

Department: Comparative Biomedical Sciences and LIVE (Clinical Science and Services) 

Project Details:

Veterinary nurses have a vital role in clinical care and procedures, so a sound understanding of anatomical form and physiology is essential to their role. Although anatomy forms an integral part of Veterinary Nursing degree programmes, there is currently little formal guidance to veterinary nursing educators around the scope and depth of anatomical knowledge required for veterinary nurses. Time pressures on curricula mean that anatomy educators must make evidence-informed choices, prioritising core topics that most support students to develop the essential knowledge required for their future professional roles.  Ensuring that professional programmes provide the right amount, level, and nature of anatomical teaching is therefore vital to ensuring veterinary nurses are not over- or under- prepared for clinical practice. 

In 2023, the Anatomical Society published a core anatomy syllabus for Veterinary Medicine (Gummery et al, 2023), that utilised consensus-based (Delphi) surveys to determine the expected core anatomical knowledge required of a newly qualified veterinary surgeon.  This work followed on from a series of similar consensus-based publications for human medicine, and other allied health sciences, including nursing (Connolly et al, 2018).  These syllabi together provide valuable guidance for educators, ensuring alignment and standardization across curricula, and promoting a safe minimum level of knowledge for clinical practice. 

This MRes project looks to address the question ‘What core foundational anatomical knowledge is required by newly qualified Registered Veterinary Nurses (RVN)?’ through conducting a modified Delphi consensus process with a panel of veterinary nursing educators.  It also aims to determine the opportunities and barriers that veterinary nursing teaching teams face when delivering anatomy education, through conducting focus groups with key stakeholders.   In doing so, we will identify effective practice and determine where further research or support for nursing educator teams is required, ultimately producing evidence-based recommendations for enhancing anatomy teaching within veterinary nursing education.  

References:

1. Gummery, E., Singh, M. and Channon, S.B. (2024), Establishing a veterinary anatomy core syllabus through a modified Delphi process. J Anat, 244: 184-201. https://doi.org/10.1111/joa.13948
2. Smith, C.F., Finn, G.M., Stewart, J., Atkinson, M.A., Davies, D.C., Dyball, R., Morris, J., Ockleford, C., Parkin, I., Standring, S., Whiten, S., Wilton, J. and McHanwell, S. (2016), The Anatomical Society core regional anatomy syllabus for undergraduate medicine. J. Anat., 228: 15-23. https://doi.org/10.1111/joa.12405
3. Connolly, S.A., Gillingwater, T.H., Chandler, C., Grant, A. ., Greig, J., Meskell, M., Ross, M.T., Smith, C. ., Wood, A. . and Finn, G. . (2018), The Anatomical Society's core anatomy syllabus for undergraduate nursing. J. Anat., 232: 721-728. https://doi.org/10.1111/joa.12782

Requirements

Essential

Must meet our standard MRes entry requirements A background in a health professions subject (e.g. but not exclusively, veterinary, medical, nursing, anatomical sciences), social sciences, or education. Strong interpersonal, networking and communication skills and an ability to engage actively with the veterinary nursing educator community

Desirable

• Experience with, or openness to using qualitative (as well as quantitative) research methods  

This can be taken full-time or part-time (12months FTE) with the project commencing in October 2026, based at either of the RVC's Camden or Hawkshead campuses. 

Funding

Partially funded: The MRes student will be expected to meet their course fees and living expenses. All other project costs will be met by the supervisor.   Please note that EU/EEA and Swiss national students may no longer be eligible for the “Home” rate of tuition fees, dependent on personal circumstances (including immigration status and residence history in the UK) and UK government rules which are currently being developed. For up-to-date information on fees for EU/EEA and Swiss national students following Brexit please see our fees and funding page.

How to Apply:

Deadline: 8th May 2026

For more information on the application process and English Language requirements see How to Apply.

Interviews will take place remotely (Teams, Zoom etc) within 4 weeks of the closing date.We welcome informal enquiries - these should be directed to schannon@rvc.ac.uk