Maria Grzegorzek is a scholarship holder of the European Federation of Veterinary Practitioners and MSD Animal Health

Two female students from Poland were among the scholarship holders from the European Federation of Veterinary Practitioners and MSD Animal Health. Maria Grzegorzek from the University of Life Sciences in Lublin and Anna Szulc from the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn were among the 34 laureates of this prestigious programme from 22 countries.

The scholarships will support future veterinary surgeons in furthering their education, acquiring the knowledge and skills necessary to treat animals. The grants are awarded to outstanding final-year veterinary students. The winners were selected from 360 applications based on their commitment to animals, local communities and the university, as well as recommendations from professors.

‘This scholarship is a strong incentive for me to develop further. I’m glad that there are such organisations that support students of a difficult field of study such as veterinary medicine,’ says Maria Grzegorzek from the University of Life Sciences in Lublin for MSD Animal Health Poland, ’I will spend part of the funds on training, conferences and educational materials that will help me expand my knowledge in various fields of veterinary medicine. I am considering courses in modern diagnostic techniques and in endocrinology and reproduction to prepare myself better for my profession.

I am fascinated by how complex processes occur in living organisms in order for them to function properly. My passion for biology, nature and animals, which I have had since childhood, led me down the path of veterinary medicine. In the future, I would like to focus on treating wild animals in their natural environment. I would also like to raise awareness among owners: that anyone who chooses to care for an animal takes responsibility for its welfare and health, treating it as a duty and not just a privilege.’

The scholarship programme of MSD Animal Health and the European Federation of Veterinary Practitioners has reached 398 students over nine years, including more than 30 from Polish universities. In the latest edition, scholarships were awarded to students from 22 countries: Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine and the UK.

photo: private archive of Maria Grzegorzek