January 27, 2025
This year, IVC Evidensia welcomed more than 400 graduates from the UK and Ireland to its latest Graduate Academy Congress for another successful event.
The Graduate Academy Congress brings together all the IVC Evidensia graduate vets, with dedicated lecture streams for Small Animal, Equine, and Farm. Across two days, graduates were given the opportunity to choose from a variety of sessions to suit individual interests.
With a combination of clinical and soft skills workshops, the event provides tools for technical and interpersonal development. This ensures graduates are equipped for long-term career success beyond the two-year Graduate Academy programme.
The event's first day commenced with a warm reception for graduates from Director of Professional Culture, Daniella Dos Santos. Within her role, Daniella heads up the IVC Evidensia Academy in the UK and oversees our graduate programe and all learning and development.
Daniella was then joined in conversation with Country Medical Director, Richard Hooker, who spoke in detail about his role. The talks concluded with an inspiring keynote speech from motor racing driver Nicolas Hamilton.
Afterwards, graduates took part in interactive sessions, helping to expand their knowledge and speak with senior leaders. They also got the opportunity to network and learn more about partners at the exhibition, before concluding the day with a formal gala dinner.
On day two, graduates attended further workshops organized by IVC Evidensia Small Animal, Farm, and Equine teams. Here, sessions included topics from Internal Medicine to Orthopaedics and Disease Outbreak, allowing graduates to hear from experts on specific interests.
Nicolas was born with cerebral palsy, affecting his motor skills and coordination. Despite this challenge, he pursued a career in motorsport and competed in various racing series, including the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC).
In addition, Nicolas has been an advocate for inclusion and disability rights, using his platform to raise awareness and inspire others with similar conditions.
In his speech, Nicolas talked about overcoming physical challenges to achieve his dream of becoming a racing driver. He focused on the need for mental resilience and how this supported him:
"I personally feel that life is 10% physical and 90% mental. It doesn't matter how fit you are, if you don't try and understand who you are and build your mental strength, you'll never really achieve your full potential."
Looking back on the event Daniella dos Santos shared:
“Our recent Graduate Academy Congress was a great success, bringing together graduates in a collaborative environment. Our engaging speakers and insightful workshops provided immense value whilst our keynote speaker, Nicolas Hamilton, was truly inspiring.”
“The event is one of the highlights in the Academy’s year and continues to provide our graduates with a vision of what a rewarding, long-term career at IVC Evidensia can look like for them.”
IVC Evidensia believes in nurturing veterinary talent from the beginning, with the Graduate Academy empowering graduates to shape their own career. Read more about Early Careers pathways with IVC Evidensia.