News

Vermont (USA) Pediatrician Describes Activist One Health Collaborative Educational Efforts

 

June 26, 2009

 

John Trumper, MD, a retired Vermont pediatrician, updated the One Health Initiative website regarding physician efforts to expand and utilize One Health principles by educating fellow practicing physicians and veterinarians statewide.  This hopefully represents a significant and efficacious blueprint [in brief] to help guide others in the U.S. and abroad.

 

“The joint meeting and visit (please see News item to follow) from Joan Hendricks, VMD, PhD (Dean of the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine) was simply an inauguration of our Vermont efforts to alert practicing physicians in the state to the One Health concept, of which the Veterinarians are already well aware. We have begun with the pediatricians, as we believe that our specialty has the most in common with veterinarians
     Taking seriously your statements about the priority for the development of the OHI concept among practicing primary care physicians and veterinarians, we have a committee from both disciplines working on presentations by veterinarians at community hospital medical staff meetings and Continuing Medical Education sessions. This seems to be the most effective way to reach the silent majority of busy practitioners who don't attend state and national meetings. Our goal is to have local veterinarians do these talks to encourage future relationships between our disciplines at the community level. Our thinking is that offering an outline and/or power-point to the presenter would encourage more DVMs and/or VMDs to do it.
     I attended the Vermont Veterinary Medical Association meeting last week (the lone physician there).  I found it to be very interesting & informative and hope that we can include subjects of mutual interest in future state meetings of both groups. The annual meeting of the Vermont Medical Society in October will also include a short introduction of the One Health concept by a local veterinarian.
     So these are the steps we've taken and are planning; all aimed at our practitioners.”

John Trumper, MD, P.O. Box 7, Brattleboro, Vermont 05302

Footnote: Dr. Trumper has continued numerous activist participations in worthwhile causes related to health care including the One Health movement.

________________________________________

 

 

Vermont Physicians and Veterinarians Talk ‘One Health’ while attending Joint Spring Meeting

 

The Vermont Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Vermont Chapter of the American Academy of Family Physicians invited Vermont Veterinary Medical Association members to attend their joint spring meeting in Rutland, VT on April 30, 2009. 

 

Joan Hendricks, VMD, PhD, Dean of the University of Pennsylvania’s school of veterinary medicine was invited to give the keynote presentation on the One Health Initiative from the veterinary medical perspective. In addition, Dr. Hendricks had been invited to present her description of the One Health concept at Pediatric Grand Rounds to students, residents, and staff at the University of Vermont medical school the day before.  Drs. Hendricks, Charles D. Newton, DVM, MS and Arthur Ribenstein, MBBCh (MD) recently published a comprehensive article in the Veterinaria Italiana One Health monograph entitled ‘One Medicine-One Health’ at the School of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania – the first 125 years http://www.izs.it/vet_italiana/2009/45_1/183.htm.

The University of Pennsylvania’s school of veterinary medicine was started 125 years ago by the physician faculty of their medical school. In 1807 Benjamin Rush, MD postulated that "By extending our knowledge of the causes of the diseases of domestic animals, we may add greatly to the certainty and usefulness of the profession of medicine, as far as it relates to the human species".  From 1884 until the 1960's, students at Penn studying human and animal medicine took the basic science courses (e.g., physiology, pathology, microbiology, etc.) together…further evidence that One Health really does have a long and rich history at Penn.

 

Dr Hendricks discussed One Health in the context of how the veterinary and human medical professionals collaborate in biomedical research, food safety, environmental health issues, and emergency medical response for the benefit of both human and animal health.  The Human-Animal Bond phenomenon was mentioned using companion animals (pets) and horses in therapy, learning, and helping "at risk" humans at every level.  The use of household pets as sentinels for domestic abuse and prognostication of that possibility in the future was discussed.

 

A bright future was painted for One Health: developing closer "in the trenches" communication between local physicians/veterinarians/nurses and other health care personnel; increasing numbers of physicians, veterinarians and nurses adding a PhD to their resume;  encouraging state boards to recognize continuing education credits when licensees attend courses advanced by either medical or veterinary medical organizations.

 

Joann M. Lindenmayer, DVM, MPH, an associate professor in the Department of Environmental and Population Health at Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine and a prominent One Health supporter, presented a short synopsis of Tufts innovative programs involving human and animal medicine. Tufts veterinary medical program was founded 30 years ago on "One Health" principles promoted by University President Jean Mayer, a human nutritionist. Early on, Tufts veterinary medical students attended pre-clinical classes side-by-side with Tufts medical students. Dr. Lindenmayer joined Dr. Hendricks for an informative question, answer and comment session.

 

Provided by:

 

J. Clyde Johnson, VMD, Past President,

American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP)

313 N. Shore Rd.

Spofford, NH  03462-3907