News

One Health Project 2013 - Report

 

Northeast Branch of the American Society for Microbiology in association with The Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, The Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine of Tufts University and the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) University

 

“One Health is: “a worldwide strategy for expanding interdisciplinary collaborations and communications in all aspects of health care for humans, animals and the environment” (http://www.onehealthinitiative.com).   The One Health Initiative promotes the idea that the health of people, animals and the environment are inextricably linked. 

 

While the concept is widely supported, operationalizing the concept in daily professional practice has been challenging.  In recognition of the difficulties in promoting the One Health initiative among health professionals, the Northeast Branch of the American Society for Microbiology (NEB-ASM) proposed to host two forums in Massachusetts to engage undergraduates, graduate students and professional students in a discussion of One Health, and assess both their enthusiasm for the concept and their ideas about promoting it.  The goal was to explore earlier introduction of the One Health concept into pre-professional and professional education in an attempt to incorporate it as part of preparation for the health professions.

 

The forums were held in the evening in Boston in the spring and Worcester in the fall.  Invitations were sent by e-mail to student lists at colleges and universities in the area, and through the schools.  Distinguished multidisciplinary panels of experts provided their perspectives on One Health and attendees were engaged in discussion.  The program was then evaluated by the participants and ideas for promoting One Health were solicited. …”

 

Please see complete report with summaries of the forums in attached PDF http://www.onehealthinitiative.com/publications/NEB-ASMOneHealth%20Report%20November%2029%202013.pdf as provided by Dr. Alfred DeMaria:

 

“The attached is the expanded report on the forums we held this year.  Next year the Northeast Branch of ASM is proposing to do a focus group of high school teachers about curriculum and a One Health Day at Tufts Cumming School of Veterinary Medicine for undergraduates.”

 

Alfred DeMaria, Jr., MD

Medical Director

Bureau of Infectious Disease

State Epidemiologist

Massachusetts Department of Public Health

William A. Hinton State Laboratory Institute

305 South Street

Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts 02130

617-983-6550

Fax: 617-983-6925

Alfred.DeMaria@state.ma.us

 

Dr. DeMaria is a One Health supporter/advocate http://www.onehealthinitiative.com/supporters.php.