Evolution of a transdisciplinary “One Medicine–One Health” approach to global health education at the University of California, Davis

Abstract

In today's world health events in one nation or geographic area often have repercussions for the health and well-being of populations beyond that region; sometimes even globally. In recent years many factors, most notably concern about emerging infectious diseases, have contributed to an increasing appreciation of the interdependency of human, animal and ecosystem health worldwide. Integrated global approaches to improve the health of humans, animals and their shared environments are proving to be in the best interest of many countries. A special symposium and award were established in memoriam to the internationally renowned epidemiologist, Dr. Calvin W. Schwabe, who (while at the University of California, Davis) was a significant advocate of the "One Medicine" approach to public health, calling upon all health professionals, including veterinarians, to work collaboratively and comparatively to improve human health. This paper discusses the evolution of the "One Medicine" concept into a global "One Health" approach to research, training capacity and service infrastructure, focused not only on disease, but also on health at the individual, population, and ecosystem levels. Projects involving UCD faculty which attempt to integrate a One Health approach include the Health for Animals and Livelihood Improvement (HALI) Project in Tanzania, Envirovet Summer Institute, Avian Flu School and Newcastle Immunization Program in Africa, a web-based virtual global health training program, and the Calvin Schwabe One Health Project.

Global health education in Germany: an analysis of current capacity, needs and barriers

“…In North America and the United Kingdom (UK), there exist a multitude of GHE opportunities, mostly for medical students and medical residents [9, 10], but also for students of other fields [8, 11–14]. Due to the resulting implications for individual well-being, the need for medical schools to include global health issues seems highly relevant, and has been pointed out repeatedly [7, 15].…”

Intersectoral collaboration between the medical and veterinary professions in low-resource societies: The role of research and training institutions

“…The strong case for intersectoral collaboration between the veterinary and medical professions, particularly in developing countries, that Calvin Schwabe clearly made in his book "Veterinary Medicine and Human Health" in 1984 [4;5] is even more relevant in today's world which is characterised by major ecological changes [5][6][7]. Human population development, growth and movement have a tremendous impact on the likelihood of interand intra-species transmission of diseases, including wildlife.…”

Geographical information systems as a tool in the control of heartworm infections in dogs and cats

“…Many factors have contributed to an increasing appreciation of the interdependency of human, animal and ecosystem health within the trans-disciplinary "One Medicine-One Health" approach to global health (Conrad et al, 2009).…”