This years ODP Award represented a bit of a milestone on more than one level. James Rowe should have become the tenth recipient of an award founded back in 2009 however he was only the Ninth. So why was this the case ? Well the answer is quite simple for as the Sheffield Hallam University ODP training transitioned to a three year Degree course from a two year Diploma there was actually no winner in 2017. James successfully completed the BSc (Hons) Operating Department Practice and achieved the highest average mark amongst all his peers on the Sheffield Hallam University's first ever BSc cohort.

Course lead Martin Reilly says "James went on to work at Queens Medical Centre in Nottingham as part of the trauma/emergency care team and is enjoy life as a qualified practitioner. To get to this point James attended college to gain the necessary awards to enter the programme whilst working at the same time. Throughout the programme he displayed a real drive to learn and succeed and because of this commitment to work hard and improve the future certainly look very bright for him and this was evident by in consistent high marks through his student life. Sheffield Hallam Operating Department Practice Team is very proud of him and pleased that we could offer him the coveted Swann Morton prize for academic achievement."