Globalization of Food Systems Training Programs for Veterinary Students

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: The list of critical animal related global food safety and public health issues can be at times staggering. The estimated impact of zoonotic and other emerging infectious diseases on costs to human and animal health alone reach into the billions of dollars. Clearly, there is a need for veterinary professionals with competence to mitigate the impact of these potential public health crises both domestically and internationally. Furthermore, the continued success of US agriculture will require professionals that are capable of functioning in a global context. The need for training of veterinarians to work globally is well recognized and has been advocated for by educators, government agencies and public health officials. As our food animal industries take on a global dimension, future generations of veterinarians must learn to work in a different environment than traditionally encountered. The food systems veterinarian of the future must learn to combine their traditional veterinary training with new competencies in biosecurity, food safety, animal science, quality control, risk management, field epidemiology, disease control, risk communication, animal welfare and business administration, and they must be able to apply these at a global level. Multidisciplinary interaction with all aspects of the food production and distribution system globally will be an essential requirement. This project will integrate two premier programs (Michigan State University and Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University) and advance the veterinary profession in helping to ensure the safety and security of the global food supply and ultimately protecting public health.

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APPROACH: For each specific objective, the following methods will be used to internationalizing Michigan State University's integrated food systems veterinary education program: <OL> <LI> Develop a study abroad program for Production Animal Scholars. Undergraduate honors students in Animal Science will participate in animal production and animal health training at TANUVAS.<LI> Internationalize the Food Systems Fellowship program. This summer internship will provide experiential learning in industrial and government veterinary practice. MSU students will be placed in industrial government veterinary externships in India. <LI> Train veterinary research scholars in international research. Through the Summer Veterinary Research program, students will conduct research at TANUVAS with ongoing collaborative projects. <LI>Create an online graduate certificate in international veterinary medicine. Integrating with current successful online graduate programs in Food Safety, Public Health, and Food Law, we will develop 2 online courses for a certificate in International Veterinary Medicine. <LI>Build an online community for international food systems veterinarians. We will provide open educational resources and a communication forum for food systems veterinarians globally.