Public health agencies are faced with challenges never imagined fifty years ago. The fast-paced travel and widespread trade of our great, big global community has accelerated the spread of infectious disease. This is not just a problem for human medical professionals; sixty percent of infectious disease in humans has animal origins.
Veterinarians and veterinary colleges are joining forces with doctors, medical schools, and government agencies to support the One Health Initiative, a worldwide strategy to encourage communication and collaboration between healthcare disciplines. In step with this initiative, the College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) recently added an inter-professional education (IPE) course to its first-year curriculum. The course was created in partnership with the Western University of Health Sciences and Linn-Benton Community College and brings together students from veterinary medicine, pharmacy, nursing, and other fields to discuss medical case studies and problem-solve difficult issues. The objective is to give them experience collaborating with other professions while introducing them to a broader view of their future responsibilities.
CVM is the only veterinary college in the nation that requires students take an inter-professional course. “The IPE course represents a wonderful opportunity for our veterinary students to learn about other health sciences professions and the collaboration that is needed to secure and advance public health,” says CVM Dean Cyril Clarke. Read More.
