Eighty candidates passed the RCVS Statutory Membership Exam.

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) has welcomed a record number of overseas veterinary surgeons to its Register, after they passed their Statutory Membership Exam.

This year there were 80 candidates that passed the membership exam, with 53 of these attending a formal ceremony at Central Hall, Westminster on 3 December.

The ceremony was hosted by Clare Paget, RCVS registrar and director of legal services, as well as RCVS president Prof Tim Parkin. The family and friends of the new members were also invited to watch the ceremony.

Prof Parkin said: “You should all be very proud of your achievements here today, especially as I know some of you came to the UK under difficult circumstances.  
 
“The UK veterinary profession is very lucky indeed to have you joining it and I know that you will make a massive difference – you’ve already demonstrated amazing energy and drive, and you will also no doubt bring fresh and different perspectives with you - that, as I said, will only serve to enrich all of our lives.”

Among those in attendance was Zahra Mohammedi, who came to the UK after fleeing Afghanistan four years ago.

Dr Mohammedi said: “It wasn’t easy. When I first arrived in the UK, I still had the trauma from everything that had happened in my country. I struggled a lot because I’d never left my family before and when I arrived in the UK, I was alone. 
 
“I’ve had a lot of support from many people to get me to where I am today, and I feel like one of the luckiest people to have all these wonderful people around me. There are millions of girls in Afghanistan who don’t have this opportunity. I never gave up because I didn’t want the Taliban to win. Now I feel like I’ve won and they’ve lost.

"I’ve proven that Afghan women are worthy to study and work and can do whatever they want.”

 
Image © RCVS