Nestlé Purina® Pet Care, as part of the Young Veterinarians initiative, teamed up with Nestlé Needs YOUth (NNY) to support the University of the West Indies School of Veterinary Medicine (UWI-SVM) with its Undergraduate Student Research Project Presentations to highlight the achievements of the veterinary students.
Dr Nannika Honoré, Purina's Veterinary Advisor for Trinidad and Tobago and the South Caribbean region, highlighted Young Veterinarians as an initiative across the Latin American region where Nestlé Purina generates value for the community of veterinarians by positively impacting the lives of the students. The goal of this programme is to impact 85,000 young veterinarians through scholarships, internship programs and training courses of veterinary interest and animal nutrition.
Dr. Honoré stated “As a pet nutrition company and a leader in the field of pet nutrition guided by science, at Purina we see young veterinarians as key to making an impact in the lives of pets and the people who love them. They are the future professionals that can change the dynamic of how pet owners treat, and also feed, their animals. We treasure having a good relationship with the School of Veterinary Medicine and our future leading Veterinarians to encourage their passion for excellence in their studies, which they will carry through into their career as they continuously learn and grow, becoming experts in the field of veterinary medicine.”
Since the school’s inception in 1989, the student research project has been a core component of the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) curriculum at the UWI-SVM. The areas chosen for research projects are as broad as science and para-clinical and clinical medicine for veterinary education. Themes over the years have ranged from parasites, public health, animal welfare and conservation. These projects have assisted veterinarians to practice better medicine, farmers to be more efficient and educators to improve the curriculum.
A representative of each winning student group attended the ceremony on Monday 13th September, 2021 to collect the prizes on behalf of the group’s members. Prizes sponsored by Nestlé Purina Pro Plan® were awarded to groups based on an Oral Component as well as a Written Component with one group being awarded a prize for Best Overall Presentation.
“At Nestlé, initiatives to enhance students’ learning experiences allow us to directly support and engage youth seeking to advance their professional careers. Today I challenge you to use the knowledge gained to not only advance your career but to also enhance the world in which we all live,” said Melissa Reveiro, Nestlé Anglo-Dutch Caribbean’s Talent Manager, in her address to the students.
As the largest Food and Beverage company, Nestlé aims to combat youth unemployment and help 10 million young people around the world access economic opportunities by 2030 through job placement, apprenticeships and internships.
ORAL COMPONENT
1st place: A preliminary investigation of the distribution of the AB Blood types in domestic cats in Trinidad, and the potential risks of transfusion reactions and neonatal isoerythrolysis. Students: Monique Kellman, Sadiyah Ramtally, Kristen Jaggernath, Nadia Baksh, Sasha Bates.
2nd place: Toxicological Evaluation of Bois Bande (Parinari Campestris Aubl. 1772) Stem Bark Extract in Rats. Students: Esther Daniel. Chernell John, Danesha Ramdhanie, Shiann Lallack.
3rd place: Knowledge, attitude and perception of antimicrobial use amongst pig farmers in Trinidad & Tobago. Students: Christian–Lee Ali, Josh Calliste, Shenice Nyack, Samantha Rajkumar.
WRITTEN COMPONENT
1st place: A tie between: A preliminary investigation of the distribution of the AB Blood types in domestic cats in Trinidad, and the potential risks of transfusion reactions and neonatal isoerythrolysis. Students: Monique Kellman, Sadiyah Ramtally, Kristen Jaggernath, Nadia Baksh, Sasha Bates.
Toxicological Evaluation of Bois Bande (Parinari Campestris Aubl. 1772) Stem Bark Extract in Rats. Students: Esther Daniel. Chernell John, Danesha Ramdhanie, Shiann Lallack. Supervisors: Dr Venkatesan Sundaram, Dr Jenelle Johnson.
2nd place: A pilot study investigating the endoparasites, ectoparasites and leprosy screening of the nine banded armadillo (Dasypus Novemcinctus) in Trinidad
Students: Jeremy Beharry, Raina Nowbutt, Sachin Mansoor, Darius Sookhoo.
3rd place: The detection of tick-borne pathogens in goats in Trinidad & Tobago
Students: Annally Harnamji, Devishwari Ramnarinesingh, Ria Roopchand, Reshma Sharma.
BEST OVERALL PRESENTATION
A preliminary investigation of the distribution of the AB Blood types in domestic cats in Trinidad, and the potential risks of transfusion reactions and neonatal isoerythrolysis.
Contacts:
Media Siti Jones-Gordon Tel.: +868 696 6286 [email protected]