Preparing the veterinary profession for corporate and trade issues in the Americas: proceedings of a conference on synergism and globalization, Santiago, Chile, May 6-8, 2001

Curriculum integration within the context of veterinary education

Curriculum integration has been applied across a range of educational levels as a means of attempting to improve learning outcomes, but there is a paucity of information that has defined and explored curriculum integration as it relates to the teaching of veterinary science. A definition of curriculum integration in the teaching of veterinary science is suggested, which places students as lifelong learners at the center of the educational model. Learning activities are designed to help students see connections among disciplines and topics, thus reinforcing their relevance and helping them to apply their knowledge to different contexts. Curriculum integration at James Cook University in the first three years of the program has been promoted through the design of assessment, the use of case studies, imaging, and palpable anatomy, learning of clinical skills, a research project, animal handling, and a personal professional development program. Advantages and disadvantages of curriculum integration are discussed. Further work is needed to determine if this mode of curriculum design is able to produce veterinary graduates who are better able to meet the challenges of a changing workplace in the twenty-first century.

Emerging Diseases: A Global and Biological Perspective

The ‘Livestock Revolution’ and globalization with enormous increases in free trade of animals and food products are not a choice but a reality (Thiermann, J. Vet. Med. Educ., 28, 2001, 56). Conditions of modern life, some of them related to or being the result of globalization, ensure that factors responsible for disease emergence are more prevalent than ever. Categorization of the factors is somewhat arbitrary but are representative of the underlying processes that cause emergence. Major responsible factors include ecological changes, such as changes due to agriculture or economic development or to anomalies in climates, human demographical changes and behaviour, travel and commerce, technology and industry, microbial adaptation and change, and the breakdown of public health measures (Morse, Emerg. Infect. Dis., 1, 1995, 7). Furtheron, concerning pathogens, their most striking feature emerging and re‐emerging is their diversity, ranging from viruses and prions, over bacteria and rickettsia, fungi, protozoa to helminths. As presently the epidemiological perspective does not permit reliable prediction and prevention of most damaging new pathogens, and as the evolutionary perspective only provides rough theoretical estimates for selective processes in pathogen populations, surveillance and monitoring remain the most important methods to recognize early that ‘something has happened’. In light of the complexity and diversity of likely new emerging diseases, such surveillance may be more broadly targeted and aimed more realistically at early recognition of disease syndromes rather than at identifying microbial diseases. The complex and rapid‐paced development of international trade, coupled with increasing societal demands for not only abundant and inexpensive food as well as for protection from diseases originating from animals, demands immediate attention from the veterinary community. The inter‐relationship at the minimum between animal production, animal diseases and human diseases demands that we consider our concepts, methods and structures. There exists a huge growth area for the veterinary profession; substantial need exists for trained individuals who understand the science of foreign diseases, who can facilitate emergency management operations against diseases (Brown, J. Vet. Med. Educ., 30, 2003, 112) and who can contribute to adjust and strategically develop animal production systems further.

Educational preparedness of veterinarians for foreign animal diseases

Veterinary medical education in FADs has been and will continue to be critically important if veterinarians are expected to fulfill the profession's primary obligations to society--those of protecting our animals' health, conserving our animal resources, and promoting public health. It is imperative that curricula and instruction in veterinary schools and colleges provide the depth and breadth of knowledge and understanding necessary to prepare all veterinarians, including those in private practice, for their key role in defending against FADs. Development and implementation of governmental and military programs to diagnose, prevent, control, and eradicate FADs will require a dedicated cadre of public sector veterinarians who have a solid educational foundation in FADs and understand the contemporary issues and global challenges we face. Animal-related industries, associations, and organizations will increasingly rely on well-educated veterinarians to help guide them in ways that will protect animals, clientele, consumers, and trading partners from effects of FADs. Agencies and organizations concerned with conservation of animal resources will require veterinary expertise necessary to prevent FADs in a multitude of animal species, including marine animals, wildlife, endangered species, zoologic specimens, and important genetic lines as well as our domestic companion and livestock species. Species affected by FADs also include human beings for those disease agents with zoonotic potential; thus, veterinary education also plays a key role in public health.

Global veterinary leadership

The public needs no reminder that deadly infectious diseases such as FMD could emerge in any country at any moment, or that national food security could be compromised by Salmonella or Listeria infections. Protections against these risks include the knowledge that appropriate and equivalent veterinary education will enable detection and characterization of emerging disease agents, as well as an appropriate response, wherever they occur. Global veterinary leadership is needed to reduce the global threat of infectious diseases of major food animal and public health importance. We believe that the co-curriculum is an excellent way to prepare and train veterinarians and future leaders who understand and can deal with global issues. The key to the success of the program is the veterinarian's understanding that there is a cultural basis to the practice of veterinary medicine in any country. The result will be a cadre of veterinarians, faculty, and other professionals who are better able (language and culture) to understand the effects of change brought about by free trade and the importance of interdisciplinary and institutional relationships to deal effectively with national and regional issues of food safety and security. New global veterinary leadership programs will build on interests, experience, ideas, and ambitions. A college that wishes to take advantage of this diversity must offer opportunities that interest veterinarians throughout their careers and that preferably connect academic study with intensive experiential training in another country. At its best, the global veterinary leadership program would include a partnership between veterinarians and several international learning centers, a responsiveness to the identified international outreach needs of the profession, and attention to critical thinking and reflection. The global veterinary leadership program we have described is intended to be a set of ideas meant to promote collaboration, coalitions, and discussion among veterinarians and veterinary educators who may be intrigued by the concept. The impact of the program can be summarized as follows: Outreach Programs: The global veterinary leadership program will establish new partnerships between veterinarians and veterinary college faculty as they supervise the international internships and see a relationship between their goals and the value of food safety to this country. Strategic Opportunity: The program will build on the critical role that US veterinarians and veterinary colleges already play in strengthening the safety of free trade in this hemisphere. Diversity in an Age of Specialization: The program will combine a global orientation, language ability, and access to comprehensive, research- and economic-related work/study opportunities to expose veterinarians to the expanding world market for veterinary expertise. New Linkages Through Corporate Partners: Through the success and high visibility of current research and education programs, most veterinary colleges are well positioned to engage industry, government, and university leaders in ways to use the proposed program to increase the flow of new ideas and talent into the world food enterprise. International Funding: A new partnership among veterinarians, industry, government, and university leaders can coordinate strong multilateral requests for funding from national and international sources. An Interdisciplinary Strategy that Benefits Veterinary Medicine: The program will combine the diverse veterinary research and education system with our strong national and international network of collaborators to provide globally competent veterinarians who will be needed for the corporate and public opportunities of the future.