Michael J. Day Scholarship

WSAVA Michael J. Day Scholarship

Play your part in advancing global knowledge of vaccination, infectious diseases and immunology in companion animals.

The Michael J. Day Scholarship is open to veterinary students around the world. The Scholarship will provide financial assistance to enable the selected Scholar to carry out research into an aspect of small companion animal infectious disease, clinical vaccinology or immunology.

Continuing a Legacy

As Chair of the WSAVA’s Vaccination Guidelines Group (VGG) from 2009 until March 2020, Emeritus Professor Michael Day worked tirelessly to transform companion animal vaccination practices globally and, in so doing, helped to educate thousands of veterinarians while supporting the welfare of millions of companion animals around the world.

His global outlook and passion for veterinary education underpinned Professor Day’s commitment to raise standards of evidence-based vaccination practice. With this in mind, we are delighted to announce in his memory the creation of a new annual Scholarship in small companion animal infectious diseases, clinical vaccinology, and immunology.

We are grateful to MSD Animal Health, a committed Partner of the VGG, for supporting this Scholarship to provide a richly deserved and enduring professional legacy for Professor Day. It is a fitting tribute to our greatly missed friend and colleague.

About the Scholarship

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.

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. Other costs (meals, local transportation at the host location, etc.) will usually be the responsibility of the student. Visa requirements will vary according to the country of origin of the successful candidate and the host institution. These must be coordinated individually between the host establishment and the successful student applicant. A student may apply to carry out their research project at home, in their own veterinary school.

Application and Selection Criteria

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.

Eligibility Criteria

Prospective student applicants for these scholarships will need to identify a principal supervisor before they can submit an application. Likewise, prospective principal supervisors will need to find a suitable student before they can apply. Applications need to be completed and signed by the student applicant, the principal supervisor, and any other members of the supervisory team.

Each application should include the aims, objectives and hypotheses of the proposed research project, as well as offering details of the methods of research, expected outcomes and budgetary requirements.

The following are also required:

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
The ability to travel internationally (valid passport and any necessary visas) and be available to commit to a minimum of 8-12 weeks of research activity in the host institution.
Applications must be submitted in English

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.

Documents required for Application

Summary of Expenditure

Grant Application Check list and Signatures

Scholarship Terms and Conditions – please note, this form is only required to be submitted by the successful applicant

Application Form

WSAVA Michael J. Day Scholarship

Name of Award*
Principal Supervisor’s Name*
Qualifications*
Current Post*
Work Address*
E-Mail Address*
Work Tel*
Home Tel*
Co-Supervisor’s Name (or indicate not applicable)*
Qualifications*
Current Post*
Work Address*
E-Mail Address*
Work Tel*
Home Tel*
Additional Co-Supervisor’s Name (or indicate not applicable)*
Qualifications*
Current Post*
Work Address*
E-Mail Address*
Work Tel*
Home Tel*
Scholarship Applicant’s Name*
Qualifications (if applicable)*
Current Role*
Address*
E-Mail Address*
Work Tel*
Home Tel*
Title of Project*
Summary of the project with the significance of the expected results in the context of current knowledge*
(maximum 500 words)
Brief summary of the project expressed in layman’s terms*
(for publicity purposes, if your project is funded, maximum 150 words)
Ethical approval for the study is needed?
Ethical approval is already obtained?
Supply approval details below
Approval Details
Specific Project Aims, Objectives and Hypotheses
(Maximum 250 words)
Proposed Study Design (Material and Methods)*
(Maximum 1,000 words)
Project timeline and expected time to completion. State the major project milestones and when you anticipate they will be achieved relative to the project start date. If funded, when will you be ready to start the project?*
(Maximum 250 words)
Summary of anticipated outcomes / importance of the project to small companion animal infectious diseases, clinical vaccinology, and immunology*
(Maximum 250 words)
Does the project use any veterinary medicines (including drugs and vaccines)?
If the answer to the above question is "Yes", then list all products used below.*
Consent*
“Projects that are simply intended to assess the efficacy or safety of licensed medicines are discouraged and are unlikely to be funded”.
Use of any veterinary products must be within the licensed indication to be considered for a scholarship. If you are not sure if the intended use of a product is within the licensed indication or not, you are advised to seek guidance by sending an email to admin@wsava.org, prior to submitting a project proposal.
Statement read and accepted
Budget requirements (consumables can be grouped, e.g., materials for collecting biological samples, reagents, etc.)
Summary of Anticipated Expenditure (Please use US $ Currency)*
Note: WSAVA will not fund salaries, bench fees, other student fees or publication costs. Only travel of the scholarship recipient (student) will be covered.
Drop files here or

Accepted file types: jpeg, jpg, png, gif, pdf, doc, docx, Max. file size: 512 MB.
Concise CVs of the scholarship applicant and the principal supervisor are required. CVs of other supervisors are optional. Supervisors should include in their brief CV the information below:*
Drop files here or

Accepted file types: jpeg, jpg, png, gif, pdf, doc, docx, Max. file size: 512 MB.
Letter of good standing from the scholarship applicant’s Veterinary Dean / Head of School*
Drop files here or

Accepted file types: jpeg, jpg, png, gif, pdf, doc, docx, Max. file size: 512 MB.
Terms and Conditions*
Scholarship Terms and Conditions
Legal/Ethical considerations:

I have given full consideration to the techniques to be employed and have taken the necessary steps to ensure that I am working within the law. If I have any doubt whether the procedures employed will fall within the remit of The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 [UK only] I will seek advice from a Home Office Inspector before the application is submitted to MSD Animal Health. I understand that MSD Animal Health will not be responsible for obtaining an Animal Test Certificate (ATC). In such an instance, I will demonstrate proof of application for, and granting of, an ATC.

I have also considered the need for ethical review and approval with regards to my research project and can demonstrate proof of application for this.

NB. Any invasive sampling, such as blood samples, outside of normal treatment or management of animals requires an ATC from the Home Office.
I agree to the terms and conditions of this Scholarship

WSAVA Michael J. Day Scholarship

Continuing a Legacy

About the Scholarship

Application and Selection Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Project Completion

WSAVA Michael J. Day Scholarship

(maximum 500 words)

(for publicity purposes, if your project is funded, maximum 150 words)

Supply approval details below

(Maximum 250 words)

(Maximum 1,000 words)

(Maximum 250 words)

(Maximum 250 words)

Note: WSAVA will not fund salaries, bench fees, other student fees or publication costs. Only travel of the scholarship recipient (student) will be covered.

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