“Global challenge program” projects themed on preventing zoonosis: developing One Health core competences in medical students at SJTU

Abstract

Objectives To develop One Health (OH) core competencies in medical students, Shanghai Jiao Tong University has conducted an OH practice project named the “Global Challenge Program” (GCP) for three years. This study aims to understand the outcomes and challenges of the pilot projects, thereby providing evidences to support the expansion of One Health education program on a larger scale. Methods We conducted a questionnaire survey to a purposive sample of 48 participants who were involved in GCP projects. A questionnaire was designed to assess the effect of GCP projects on improving the core competencies of OH professionals. It consists of 32 questions divided into four categories: basic information, overall assessment, communication skills, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Statistical analysis was conducted and reported based on the data collected from the survey. Results A total of 42 students (87.5 % of 48 participants) completed the follow-up survey. Among them, 64.3 % perceived a significant improvement in their understanding of the OH concept and approach after participating in the GCP projects. Benefiting from the communication opportunities offered by the GCP projects, 24.0 % and 49.0 % of the students reported significant and moderate improvement in their international communication abilities, respectively. In addition, 74 .0% of the students noted that the GCP projects greatly enhanced their capabilities in interdisciplinary cooperation and systematic thinking in addressing complex health issues. Conclusions The GCP project has served as a pilot initiative for participatory OH education, contributing to the development of OH core competencies in medical students, particularly in systems thinking, international communication, and interdisciplinary collaboration. However, generalizing the experience of the pilot project to a large-scale education program for medical students requires careful revisit of the gaps of resources and talents in curriculum building and project operation.