Quick poll for current/past/future students! (One Health)

[SummerTheLynx]

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Hey all,

I am in the process of creating a One Health Certificate in concert with a prominent One Health University and wanted some feedback from current/past/future students. Below, I am posting some of the preliminary information on the certificate, but many of these points can be modified. We are definitely aiming to go for widespread appeal to those interested in a more academic/research based path, as well as those on the public health side of things.

Certification as a One Health Practitioner would proceed through the completion of the following items:

1. Completion of six lectures in the each of following four subject areas:
a. Environmental Health (environment)
b. Human Health
c. Ethics & Policy of One Health (general one health lectures/public health lectures)
d. Ecology & Evolution of Disease (animal based lectures/epidemiology)

2. Participation and successful completion of One Health coursework in both the Introduction to One Health and Conservation Medicine:
a. Introduction to One Health, either as
i. Online mini course (8 weeks) - courser course
ii. Fall Intensive weekend course at <redacted>
b. Conservation Medicine, either as
i. Online mini course (8 weeks) - courser course
ii. Spring Intensive weekend course at <redacted>

3. Submission of a One Health Portfolio, including:
a. Capstone project

Current negotiated cost: $150 (may still be able to get the Dean down to 100, but it would take a strong interest, since costs will be covering two courses, review of capstone project, and certification of all information.)

Let me know any feedback if you may have.

Also, for anyone affiliated with a current One Health Club, if you could also leave a comment that you are affiliated (I will send you a pm from there), I am hoping to get into contact with the various One Health Presidents once I get this in stone and plan a meeting during SCAVMA this year to discuss this further. We've accumulated the contact info for several of the organizations, but I am still having issues finding several of them!

Thanks all and let me know your thoughts/questions!

 

[lhmhtd]

This is amazing!! I love the concept of One Health- I honestly think that it's the future of medicine. Keep us posted!

 

[chickenlittle]

I don't see this really having any significant benefits in terms of employment opportunities, but I definitely think it would be something fun to do during vet school - I would have jumped all over it! As long as the price reflects the fact that it's more 'for fun' than for professional development, I think there would be a benefit. I think that people who want to go into One Health type fields are still going to need at least an MPH, more likely a PhD.... and even then, my understanding is that the opportunities are incredibly limited. (My friends who earned graduate degrees in public health after vet school ended up not working in that field due to limited opportunities.)

 

[cloverbug]

Y'all, I'm just going to make the point that no matter what you do in veterinary medicine, public health is very important. Even in private practice, you'll come across dogs and cats with ringworm or sarcoptic mange or a variety of other zoonotic diseases. Understanding the public health aspect of our job is something none of us should take lightly so I think this certificate would be helpful to have. Plus, you never know where you'll end up in your career so it's worth having it. Ok, I'll get off the soap box now lol.

 

[Jess Monster]

From a public health practitioner standpoint there are people who could benefit greatly from having more exposure and formal education in one health. Especially people who have earned a non-specialized MPH and are looking to pursue work in that area. Plus, local and state governments might actually pay for employees to receive this kind of training so there's a large population to tap into on the non-veterinary side.

 

[SummerTheLynx]

From a public health practitioner standpoint there are people who could benefit greatly from having more exposure and formal education in one health. Especially people who have earned a non-specialized MPH and are looking to pursue work in that area. Plus, local and state governments might actually pay for employees to receive this kind of training so there's a large population to tap into on the non-veterinary side.

Agreed, and one of the people already signed up for the trial year of this is someone that is already done with school. We actually may be getting a subsidy through One Health Commission for each person enrolling into this program as well, making the cost even lower per person, but that would be after this is established for a couple of years. It will become cheaper as it goes, but in order to diminish risks on both sides, they keep it a bit higher off the bat.

I don't see this really having any significant benefits in terms of employment opportunities, but I definitely think it would be something fun to do during vet school - I would have jumped all over it! As long as the price reflects the fact that it's more 'for fun' than for professional development, I think there would be a benefit. I think that people who want to go into One Health type fields are still going to need at least an MPH, more likely a PhD.... and even then, my understanding is that the opportunities are incredibly limited. (My friends who earned graduate degrees in public health after vet school ended up not working in that field due to limited opportunities.)

Oh I agree that in most cases, you will need the MPH or PhD as well. This is supposed to act as a supplement to these programs. Having talked with said university, the certificate has already opened doors for those that have received it (the certificate is already an existence if you are a member of the sponsoring University. This is essentially allowing people outside of the University to get in on the certificate). With regards to cost, I am trying to make it as similar to the VBMA certificate as possible, the issue is that this would be the inaugural year (which raises the price off the bat due to lower membership) and there are actual time commitments on the part of the sponsoring University that they need to be compensated for. Do you feel 150 is too much? If well established in the first few years, it is quite feasible that the cost goes down to 100 from the University, and then a subsidy comes in from One Health Commission to lower it further.

It also definitely depends on where exactly you wish to be working within the public health realm, and where you want to be working. Even so, I have definitely heard similar stories to your friend.

 

[chickenlittle]

Agreed, and one of the people already signed up for the trial year of this is someone that is already done with school. We actually may be getting a subsidy through One Health Commission for each person enrolling into this program as well, making the cost even lower per person, but that would be after this is established for a couple of years. It will become cheaper as it goes, but in order to diminish risks on both sides, they keep it a bit higher off the bat.

Oh I agree that in most cases, you will need the MPH or PhD as well. This is supposed to act as a supplement to these programs. Having talked with said university, the certificate has already opened doors for those that have received it (the certificate is already an existence if you are a member of the sponsoring University. This is essentially allowing people outside of the University to get in on the certificate). With regards to cost, I am trying to make it as similar to the VBMA certificate as possible, the issue is that this would be the inaugural year (which raises the price off the bat due to lower membership) and there are actual time commitments on the part of the sponsoring University that they need to be compensated for. Do you feel 150 is too much? If well established in the first few years, it is quite feasible that the cost goes down to 100 from the University, and then a subsidy comes in from One Health Commission to lower it further.

It also definitely depends on where exactly you wish to be working within the public health realm, and where you want to be working. Even so, I have definitely heard similar stories to your friend.

I think $150 is definitely a reasonable price. I would consider doing it myself for that price, just because I find the information interesting. I am chronically "on the fence" about doing an MPH, but can't make it work out because I know the chances of finding public-health employment (especially given that I am geographically restricted due to my spouse's job) are slim to none. A certificate program that would give me a chance to learn some new stuff and use that side of my brain (small animal GP is rotting my brain - too much routine/tedium and not enough intellectual challenge!) would be great, even if it wouldn't really have any direct professional relevance for me.

 

[DVMDream]

Y'all, I'm just going to make the point that no matter what you do in veterinary medicine, public health is very important. Even in private practice, you'll come across dogs and cats with ringworm or sarcoptic mange or a variety of other zoonotic diseases. Understanding the public health aspect of our job is something none of us should take lightly so I think this certificate would be helpful to have. Plus, you never know where you'll end up in your career so it's worth having it. Ok, I'll get off the soap box now lol.

Of course it is. However, you learn all about the zoonosis of those diseases and more through vet school. Also as a GP, your job becomes to educate the client on those diseases and how they might prevent catching them from their pet. Beyond that you really can't tell them anything more than, "if you feel like you are developing symptoms go see your doctor". So really vet school gives the education you need on these diseases and the certificate would only be of benefit if you are interested in it. It'd be more appealing to current vets if that could be used as CE hours, even then, doesn't line up with my personal veterinary interests.

 

[LetItSnow]

What is a "courser course"? Like where STL wrote "i. Online mini course (8 weeks) - courser course"? (I don't know that term.)

I agree with DVMD - might be interesting as CE, but if it doesn't count for CE I would be unlikely to give it another glance, just because of time constraints.

Y'all, I'm just going to make the point that no matter what you do in veterinary medicine, public health is very important. Even in private practice, you'll come across dogs and cats with ringworm or sarcoptic mange or a variety of other zoonotic diseases. Understanding the public health aspect of our job is something none of us should take lightly so I think this certificate would be helpful to have. Plus, you never know where you'll end up in your career so it's worth having it. Ok, I'll get off the soap box now lol.

I also agree with DVMD regarding basic public health. It already is taught - by accreditation requirement - at all vet schools. It is part of Standard 9: "instruction in the principles of epidemiology, zoonoses, food safety, the interrelationship of animals and the environment, and the contribution of the veterinarian to the overall public and professional healthcare teams." So I don't think something like what STL is doing is 'necessary' from that perspective.

I do think what STL is doing could be excellent as a gateway for students interested in One Health or Public Health, could be a great refresher for veterinarians, and could help elevate the value of veterinarians in One Health. I think one of the biggest challenges is finding and communicating (to the broad veterinary community) opportunities for veterinarians in One Health beyond the academia/research world.

 

[SummerTheLynx]

What is a "courser course"? Like where STL wrote "i. Online mini course (8 weeks) - courser course"? (I don't know that term.)

I agree with DVMD - might be interesting as CE, but if it doesn't count for CE I would be unlikely to give it another glance, just because of time constraints.



I also agree with DVMD regarding basic public health. It already is taught - by accreditation requirement - at all vet schools. It is part of Standard 9: "instruction in the principles of epidemiology, zoonoses, food safety, the interrelationship of animals and the environment, and the contribution of the veterinarian to the overall public and professional healthcare teams." So I don't think something like what STL is doing is 'necessary' from that perspective.

I do think what STL is doing could be excellent as a gateway for students interested in One Health or Public Health, could be a great refresher for veterinarians, and could help elevate the value of veterinarians in One Health. I think one of the biggest challenges is finding and communicating (to the broad veterinary community) opportunities for veterinarians in One Health beyond the academia/research world.

Sorry that is supposed to be coursera course, it's a system for online courses essentially.

With regards to CE that is something that would need to be pursued once the certificate is better established, but I see no reason why it couldn't be acting as CE a few years down the road!

 

[LetItSnow]

Sorry that is supposed to be coursera course, it's a system for online courses essentially.

With regards to CE that is something that would need to be pursued once the certificate is better established, but I see no reason why it couldn't be acting as CE a few years down the road!

Ahhhh. Gotcha. Not familiar with coursera, either, but at least it makes sense now.

I think the certificate is a neat idea. Good luck with it.