The aim of the Michael J. Day Scholarship is to promote interest and research in companion animal infectious diseases. Each Scholarship will support a veterinary student to carry out a high-quality research project on small companion animal infectious disease, clinical vaccinology, or immunology.
Each project will usually run for one year or less, occasionally up to 2 years with approval. During this period, the successful student will typically spend about 2 – 3 months directly engaged in research activity in a host university or academic institution of their own selection.
Benefits
- To enable them to carry out their research, the selected candidate will be awarded a grant of up to US$15,000. In addition to covering direct research costs (reagents, consumables, etc), the grant can be used to cover the costs of visa requirements, flights, health insurance and accommodation.
- A student may apply to carry out their research project at home, in their own veterinary school.
Scholarship Courses
Requirements
- Applications are invited from veterinary students, studying towards a registrable veterinary degree (e.g. DVM or BVSc) in an accredited veterinary establishment in a country in which the WSAVA has a member association.
- Applications will be judged on the quality and clarity of their research project proposal, realistic aspirations of the proposed project, the project’s potential value in terms of clinical relevance and its societal or welfare impact and originality. We would discourage projects that are simply intended to assess the efficacy or safety of licensed medicines.
- The successful candidate will be selected based on merit after a competitive review process. This will be performed by members of the WSAVA Vaccination Guidelines Group, a member of the WSAVA Scientific Committee, and representatives of MSD Animal Health.
Selection Process
Project Completion
Within three months of the project’s completion, the Scholarship recipient will provide a 1,500-word report on their findings. The recipient will be invited (but not obligated) to present or publish their findings in English, as a poster or abstract, at a WSAVA World Congress. The recipient will be expected to participate in PR activities, for instance, around the award of the Scholarship and the presentation of their findings.
Application Documents
- Curricula vitae of student applicant and prospective principal supervisor
- A summary of the project with the significance of the expected results in the context of current knowledge (maximum 500 words)
- A grant proposal of the project detailing the background, aims, methodology, budget, and expected results (See details in the application form below)
- A timeline for the research project
- A reference of good standing from the Dean or Head of the candidate’s veterinary school
Method of Application
For More Information,
Application Deadline: June 20, 2025.