A vet at an award-winning animal hospital in Yorkshire is celebrating after becoming a European diplomate and RCVS specialist in small animal medicine.

Ben Safrany, from Linnaeus-owned Paragon Veterinary Referrals in Wakefield, studied for four years to pass the European Board of Veterinary Specialisation exams and has subsequently had his status confirmed by the RCVS.

Now he’s looking forward to employing his enhanced skills to treat Paragon’s pet patients and to passing on his expert knowledge to mentor young vets entering the profession.

Ben, whose qualification takes the number of diplomates on Paragon’s books to 16, said: “I am very proud and very relieved! It was a very challenging process. The exams were in Frankfurt in March and I’m delighted to learn I have succeeded.

Ben Safrany from Paragon Veterinary Referrals, who is now an ECVIM-CA diplomate and an RCVS-recognised specialist in small animal medicine.

“I'd been preparing for the exams over the past four years, both in terms of actively studying and in completing the criteria to be allowed to sit them.

“This included completing my residency working under the supervision of other specialists – both at Paragon and other referral centres – publishing, research, teaching, presenting at international conferences, seeing a required number of cases and passing other exams.

“It’s been a fantastic opportunity to develop my skills under the supervision of some very talented specialists and to dedicate time to furthering my own knowledge.

“It will all help me to provide the very best treatment and care to our clients and their pets. I’m particularly interested in endocrinology – condition including diabetes, Cushing’s and Addison’s diseases – so this will be a key focus for me.

“I'm also excited to now be able to help supervise the next generation of diplomates in training and to be able to pass on what I've learned.”

Ben graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 2010 and spent the first two years of his career in mixed practice.

He then moved to a small animal hospital in Nottinghamshire, where he gained a certificate in small animal medicine, before joining Paragon where last year he completed his European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine residency.

Paragon provides expert care in anaesthesia and analgesia, cardiology, dermatology, diagnostic imaging, internal medicine, neurology, oncology, ophthalmology, orthopaedics and soft tissue surgery.

For more information on Paragon Veterinary Referrals, visit www.paragonreferrals.co.uk or search for Paragon Veterinary Referrals on social media.

West Yorkshire vet Ben Safrany achieves small animal medicine diplomate status