Press Information 10th December 2015
Vetstream and IVSA Work Together to Boost Global Student Access to Vetlexicon's clinical information Veterinary digital content supplier Vetstream has announced a collaboration with the International Veterinary Students Association (ISVA) to encourage uptake of the latest peer-‐reviewed clinical content, which the company offers to veterinary students around the world free of charge through its partnership with WikiVet. Dr G Mark Johnston MRCVS, Managing Director of Vetstream met Bhavisha Patel, Chairman of IVSA's Standing Committee on Veterinary Education (SCOVE), at the London Vet Show in November to finalise arrangements.
Under the new agreement, IVSA representatives in its 50 country member organisations will work to raise awareness among veterinary students of the benefits of Vetstream's peer-‐reviewed clinical resource, Vetlexicon. As part of IVSA's campaign to promote global veterinary learning, its representatives will also link up with veterinary schools in countries where it currently has no member organisation, to support them in accessing the free resources available to them thanks to Vetstream and WikiVet. Vetstream is offering veterinary students and staff free access to Vetlexicon via Wikivet while they are off campus. This complements the access they already have while on campus as many vet schools now have IP authenticated licences to the comprehensive online resource which features content from more than 900 leading veterinary clinicians from around the world on dogs (Canis), cats (Felis), rabbits (Lapis) and horses (Equis). Based in Denmark, IVSA is a worldwide organisation whose membership includes more than 30,000 students from over 90 veterinary schools representing more than 50 countries. WikiVet is developing a comprehensive, peer-‐reviewed veterinary knowledge database to equip veterinary
students around the world with information relevant to the veterinary undergraduate curriculum, such as anatomy and physiology for all major domestic species. Vetlexicon is one of a range of digital services to the veterinary profession offered by Vetstream, which include Vetacademy, its user-‐friendly eLearning platform and Vetstream Webpartner which offers a suite of website design, online content and digital marketing services. Commenting on the agreement, Bhavisha Patel said: "Raising the overall standard of veterinary education globally is one of IVSA’s core goals and being able to provide every student with internet access with the resources offered by Vetstream and WikiVet brings us one step closer to achieving it. We are excited at this new partnership and grateful for the opportunity to offer these benefits to our members directly." Dr G Mark Johnston added: "Linking up with IVSA is the next step as we continue to support student veterinarians around the world, particularly those in countries without ready access to high quality information resources. Through our relationship with WikiVet, we are now bringing them the very latest clinical content free of charge and are finalising a mechanism to enable them to continue to receive it at preferential rates in the first few years after graduation." Vetstream is already engaged in projects to support veterinary learning in developing countries. It is involved with the African Small Companion Animal Network (AFSCAN), an initiative from the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) Foundation to raise standards of veterinary care across Africa, and it has recently announced a package of support for Asian veterinary schools with the Federation of Asian Veterinary Associations (FAVA) offering free IP authenticated licences to Vetlexicon in ten Asian countries. For further information: Rebecca George George PR, Tel: 01449 737281/07974 161108