Journal of Veterinary Medical Education, Vol 35, Issue 2, 173-176
DOI: 10.3138/jvme.35.2.173
Copyright © 2008 by Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges
Public-Health Training for Veterinarians |
The Cooperative University of Iowa / Iowa State University MPH Program
Danelle A. Bickett-Weddle•
Mary L. Aquilino•
James A. Roth
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ABSTRACT
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Public health is an important component of veterinary medicine. In the last 10 years, there has been growing recognition of the need to increase the number of veterinarians trained in public health. The Center for Food Security and Public Health (CFSPH) at Iowa State University (ISU), College of Veterinary Medicine, received a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to support veterinarians working at CFSPH while pursuing the Master of Public Health degree. CFSPH and ISU administrators worked with the University of Iowa (UI) College of Public Health to establish three cooperative programs for veterinarians to earn the MPH degree. This article describes how these programs were developed and how they operate.
(1) Between 2002 and 2005, CFSPH used funds provided by the CDC to support 15 veterinarians as they worked for CFSPH and toward the MPH degree. As the program grew, distance-education methods such as the Internet, Polycom videoconferencing, and the Iowa Communications Network (ICN) were incorporated. (2) A concurrent DVM/MPH degree is now offered; students can complete both degrees in four years. As of January 2008, three students have received their DVM and MPH degrees and 16 students are enrolled in the program. (3) In June 2007, the UI and ISU launched a distance MPH program for veterinarians working in private practice, industry, and government. Eight veterinarians are participating in the program, which includes two two-week, in-person summer sessions, with the remainder of the coursework taken at a distance via the Internet.
Key Words: MPH • public health • graduate program
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INTRODUCTION
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The Center for Food Security and Public Health (CFSPH) at Iowa State University (ISU), College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM), was established with a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in July 2002. The CFSPH's mission was to increase national preparedness for accidental or intentional introduction of disease agents that threaten food production or public health. One of the goals of the center was to increase the pool of veterinarians educated and trained in public health.
The University of Iowa (UI), College of Public Health (CPH), is located in Iowa City, approximately 140 miles from the ISU CVM in Ames, Iowa. Prior to the formation of the CFSPH, the two colleges worked together sporadically. When the CFSPH was established, its director, Dr. James Roth, and Dr. James Merchant, dean of the CPH, began to discuss building a cooperative program. Dr. Merchant was very familiar with the ISU CVM, as his father had served as CVM dean. In fact, Dr. Merchant had taken courses with ISU veterinary students prior to going to medical school. This personal experience helped to bridge the gap between the two institutions and enhance the link between veterinary medicine and public health.
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MPH PROGRAM FOR VETERINARIANS WORKING FOR THE CFSPH
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As the CFSPH was established, the Center and the UI College of Public Health began working to initiate a program whereby veterinarians could earn the MPH degree, consisting of 39 semester hours, from the UI while working for the CFSPH. The CFSPH worked quickly to recruit two veterinarians to start coursework in August 2002. The CDC funds covered tuition at the University of Iowa and a salary for the veterinarians to work as three-quarter-time adjunct instructors for the CFSPH. From 2003 through 2005, 15 veterinarians received the MPH degree through this program. Another veterinarian, supported by other sources, also received the MPH.
Distance MPH Program Development
During the first semester of the program, students drove to Iowa City for courses. For this program to be successful, however, it was essential to maximize distance-learning technologies for the students. Most faculty at the UI were willing to accommodate these veterinarians by providing courses via the Iowa Communications Network (ICN), Polycom videoconferencing, and Internet-based asynchronous lectures. Each semester, additional core courses and electives were delivered through distance education. This was a learning experience for both UI faculty and for the veterinarians in the program. While lectures were not always perfect, as a result of camera placement, sound transmission, and the instructor's comfort level with technology, improvements were made every semester. The convenience of asynchronous lectures, responsive faculty and staff at UI, and not having to drive 140 miles each way more than balanced out the technological challenges. Today, a primarily distance MPH degree is being offered (see "Distance MPH for Practicing Veterinarians" below).
Logistics of the Program
All veterinarians were assigned an advisor at the University of Iowa who provided guidance throughout the coursework and practicum experience. Veterinarians working for the CFSPH visited the UI campus two or three times a year to meet with their advisors, to take elective courses, and to present their capstone or practicum project. Examinations were either taken online, as part of the coursework, or proctored by CVM faculty. Frequent communication between faculty at UI and students at ISU, flexibility in course scheduling, diversity among veterinarians and MPH faculty, and the commitment of both institutions to increasing the number of veterinarians in public health were instrumental to the success of this program.
Practicum Projects: Preceptor and Location
Each veterinarian completed a practicum project, a 200-contact-hour capstone experience that combined their public-health knowledge from the classroom with their skills in public health and veterinary medicine. Students were required to demonstrate competence in eight public-health competencies (see Table 1), submit a 20- to 30-page written paper, and present their results orally to a committee or present a poster at the University of Iowa. The veterinarians in the program demonstrated their knowledge and skills in diverse practicum topics, including
- Bioterrorism Awareness Education Program Survey (CFSPH, Ames, IA)
- Understanding and Influencing Perceptions of Diagnostic and Control Methods for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) (CFSPH, Ames, IA)
- "Get in the Groove," 2005 Iowa 4-H Youth Conference: The Development and Delivery of an Educational Awareness Program on the Topic of Veterinary Public Health for Iowa 4-H Youth (CFSPH, Ames, IA)
- Animal Bite Injuries and Veterinary Professionals (CFSPH, Ames, IA)
- Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Symptoms and Disability among Iowa Dairy Producers (Institute for Rural and Environmental Health, Iowa City, IA)
- Cross-Sectional Pilot Study to Identify Prevalence of Zoonotic Influenza among Swine Confinement Workers in Iowa (Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Iowa City, IA)
- Agricultural Disaster Preparedness in Iowa (Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management, Des Moines, IA)
- Avian Influenza Preparedness in Iowa (Iowa Department of Public Health, Des Moines, IA)
- Utilizing the National Electronic Disease Surveillance System for Tracking Latent TB Infection in Nebraska (Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Lincoln, NE)
- Assessment of Public Health Issues Regarding Protection of Confidentiality during Dissemination of Data on Sexually Transmitted Diseases (Division of Public Health Surveillance and Informatics, CDC, Atlanta, GA)
- Knowledge and Beliefs of Haitian Livestock Owners Regarding Anthrax (Deschapelles, Haiti)
- Aedes aegypti Surveillance in Iquitos, Peru (US Naval Medical Research Center Detachment)
- Salmonella Surveillance in Botswana
- Public Health Lessons Learned and Strategies Actualized Regarding Trypanosoma spp. Control in Fulani Herdsmen Cattle in Nigeria
Educational Material Development at the CFSPH
Education is a large component of the CFSPH's mission to improve national preparedness. While working toward the MPH degree, veterinarians worked three-quarter time for the CFSPH developing educational materials. In 2002 and 2003, they developed fact sheets, PowerPoint presentations, handouts, and wall charts for diseases listed on the CDC's list of bioterrorism agents and the USDA's high-consequence livestock pathogen list. In 2004 and 2005, the veterinarians worked to develop tools, including an online risk-management database, for controlling infectious diseases on equine, beef, and dairy operations and for stationary and mobile veterinary clinics. Educational materials on prevention of zoonoses were also developed for use by youth groups, veterinarians, and public-health and medical professionals. In addition, the veterinarians developed Web-based training modules for the USDA APHIS Veterinary Services Careers Program and the National Veterinary Accreditation Program.
The veterinarians also had the opportunity to provide guest lectures to ISU veterinary students in public-health courses, to develop and deliver educational seminars to 4-H groups and science fairs, and to participate in national veterinary and public-health symposia. Their year of working for the CFSPH developing and distributing public-health materials enhanced their ability to find jobs upon graduation.
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CONCURRENT DVM/MPH PROGRAM
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As the program for veterinarians working for the CFSPH developed and more distance-education options were added, a concurrent DVM/MPH program was developed in the summer of 2003. ISU veterinary students were encouraged to pursue the MPH degree at the UI. The curriculum is organized so that students enrolled in the concurrent DVM/MPH program can graduate in four years with both the DVM degree from Iowa State University and the MPH degree from the University of Iowa. Students apply during the fall semester of their first year of veterinary school and begin coursework the following spring; the courses are spread throughout the remaining three years. When the program began, 39 semester hours were required to obtain the MPH degree. To meet Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) requirements for accreditation, 42 semester hours were required for students who enrolled beginning in the fall of 2007.
Veterinary students who are paying full-time tuition at ISU are able to take, at no charge, up to three credit hours per semester at the UI, thanks to the Iowa Regent Institution Consortium Agreement on Tuition. Most students take 18 credits in this manner. The UI also allows up to 12 semester hours of pre-approved coursework from the veterinary curriculum to be transferred toward the MPH degree. Examples include Infectious Diseases (5 semester hours), Public Health (4 semester hours), and Pharmacology and Therapeutics (3 semester hours). The out-of-pocket expenses for veterinary students to complete this program are between $7,000 and $8,000, compared to over $25,000 in tuition for a non-concurrent program. As of March 2008, there were 16 veterinary students enrolled in the program and four graduates.
ISU veterinary students formed a Veterinary Public Health Club in 2004. The club now has 40 members, who arrange for speakers, attend public-health symposia, and promote public-health aspects of veterinary medicine to their colleagues. The club also helps in recruiting students to the CVM, as several incoming veterinary students have selected ISU because of its commitment to public health and the concurrent DVM/MPH program.
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DISTANCE MPH PROGRAM FOR PRACTICING VETERINARIANS
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As the MPH program targeted to veterinarians at UI continued to grow, the UI, ISU, and the CFSPH worked together to develop a distance MPH program for veterinarians working in private practice or in military, industry, or government positions. The program began in June 2007 with veterinarians from around the United States. These students attended a two-week in-person "summer institute" in Iowa City and took six semester hours of courses. In June 2008, the eight veterinarians will participate in another two-week "summer institute," this time at ISU CVM. These courses involve field experiences, laboratory work, and computer training, which are better accommodated in person. Additionally, bringing the group to campus allows the veterinarians to see the university's resources first-hand, meet faculty and advisors, and build relationships with their colleagues. The veterinarians will take distance education courses throughout a two-year period, with the goal of completing 42 semester hours in that time. This program is unique in that it enables veterinarians to work toward the MPH without relocating their families or leaving their current positions. The UI CPH plans to begin a new cohort each year as long as the need for veterinarians trained and educated in public health exists.
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CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
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Creating programs across two academic institutions on separate campuses requires understanding and agreement at the program, college, and university levels. The fact that both the UI and ISU are governed by a common State Board of Regents is an advantage, in that the two institutions’ general academic policies are similar. - At the university level, administrative agreements regarding tuition, residency, and credit transfer had to be addressed.
- College- and program-level challenges are primarily related to distance education and include instructional delivery, student advising, and student processes such as changing registration mid-term.
- Technology failures and faculty inexperience or reluctance to engage in distance education continue to present challenges.
- Both UI and ISU faculty have the opportunity to develop and teach new courses for the Distance MPH Program, using financial resources from UI's distance-education funding. These courses are also available to non-DVM/MPH students, allowing faculty at both colleges meet multidisciplinary teaching needs while assuring personal professional expectations for promotion and tenure.
- Assigning a designated DVM/MPH adviser/coordinator at ISU provides a local student advocate and improves communication for students and between the two programs.
- Students continually comment on the benefits of hearing the perspectives of individuals from various disciplines in class interactions. Faculty in both veterinary medicine and public health enjoy the advantages of cross-disciplinary discussion as well.
- Distance-education technology allows greater accessibility to classes for students in all three programs.
- The concurrent program provides an efficient and affordable way to earn the DVM and MPH in approximately the same time frame as earning the DVM alone, and the distance program allows practicing veterinarians to continue working while earning the MPH degree.
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MPH GRADUATES AND THEIR POSITIONS
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The veterinarians who have completed the MPH program have gone on to various positions related to public health at the local, state, and federal levels as well as in academia and industry. A few graduates are pursuing PhD degrees and continuing the research they began during their MPH education. Graduates and their job descriptions are listed below.
2003 Graduates
- Glenda Dvorak, MS, DVM, MPH, Dipl. ACVPM: Veterinary Specialist, CFSPH (2003–present)
- Jamie Snow, DVM, MPH: Wyoming State Public Health Veterinarian (2003–2007); Center for Epidemiology and Animal Health, USDA, Colorado (2007–present)
- Ann Garvey, DVM, MPH, MA: Agricultural Specialist, Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management (2003–2007); Iowa State Public Health Veterinarian (2007–present)
- Danelle Bickett-Weddle, DVM, MPH, Dipl. ACVPM: Associate Director, CFSPH; PhD student, Iowa State University (2004–present)
- Katie Steneroden, DVM, MPH: Veterinary Specialist, CFSPH (2004–2005); Biosecurity Officer and PhD student, Colorado State University (2005–present)
2004 Graduates
- Susan Brockus, DVM, MPH: Iowa State Public Health Veterinarian (2004–2006); Research Scientist, Charles River Laboratories, Nevada (2006–present)
- Stacy Holzbauer, DVM, MPH, Dipl. ACVPM: CDC Fellow (2004–2006); CDC EIS Officer, Minnesota Department of Public Health (2006–present)
- Dipa Brahmbhatt, DVM, MPH: PhD student, Texas A&M University (2004–present)
- Jared Taylor, DVM, MPH: Resident and PhD student, Oklahoma State University (2005–present)
- Alex Ramirez, DVM, MPH, Dipl. ACVPM: Veterinary Specialist (2005–2007); PhD student (2005–present); Assistant Professor, Veterinary Diagnostics and Production Animal Medicine, Iowa State University (2008–present)
2005 Graduates
- Vicky Olson, DVM, MPH: Research Project Assistant, Quality Milk Production Services, New York (2005–2007); Emergency Clinic Veterinarian, Connecticut (2007–present)
- LeMac Morris, DVM, MPH: Technical Services Veterinarian, Ft. Dodge Animal Health, Oklahoma (2005–present)
- Bryan Buss, DVM, MPH, Dipl. ACVPM: CDC EIS Officer, Nebraska Health and Human Services System (2006–present)
- Kristine Edwards, MA, DVM, MPH: PhD Student, Mississippi State University (2006–present)
- Ingrid Trevino, DVM, MPH, Dipl. ACVPM: CDC EIS Officer, Illinois Department of Public Health (2006–present)
2006 Graduates
- Michelle Andersen, DVM, MPH: Master of Avian Medicine (MAM) student, University of Georgia—Athens (2006–2007); Avian Veterinarian, Minnesota (2008–present)
- Jean Brudvig, DVM, MPH: Post-doctoral research associate, Ames, IA (2006–2007); Veterinarian, South Carolina (2007–present)
2007 Graduates
- Cameron Norton, DVM, MPH: Veterinarian, Arizona (2007–present)
- Susanne Smith, DVM, MPH: University of Missouri Health Care System (2007–present)
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CONCLUSION
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The Cooperative University of Iowa/Iowa State University MPH Program has been successful in increasing the number of veterinarians trained in public health. Faculty and administrators at both institutions have benefited from working together to meet this national need. The educational materials developed for the CFSPH have helped to enhance national preparedness for disease agents that threaten food production or public health. The program continues to evolve and incorporate an increasingly diverse group of veterinarians and veterinary students interested in public health. Communication, flexibility, committed faculty and staff at both colleges, and the desire to uphold the veterinary oath to promote public health are just some of the keys to success for this program.
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Footnotes
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AUTHOR INFORMATION
Danelle Bickett-Weddle, DVM, MPH, Dipl. ACVPM, is Associate Director of the Center for Food Security and Public Health, 2170 Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011 USA. E-mail: dbweddle{at}iastate.edu. Dr. Bickett-Weddle is in charge of educational material development as it pertains to biological risk management and veterinary accreditation for the CFSPH. She serves as the local advisor to the Iowa State University veterinary students enrolled in the MPH degree at the University of Iowa and as the primary academic advisor for some of the veterinarians in the Distance MPH Program for Practicing Veterinarians.
Mary Lober Aquilino, MSN, PhD, FNP, is Clinical Associate Professor, Assistant Dean, and MPH Program Director, Department of Community and Behavioral Health, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242 USA. She is also Director of the Iowa Tobacco Research Center and has taught courses in public health, maternal/child health, and research methods. She conducts research in the areas of tobacco cessation and unintended pregnancy.
James A. Roth, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVM, is Distinguished Professor in the Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Preventive Medicine and Director of the Center for Food Security and Public Health, 2150 Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011 USA. He is currently President of the American College of Veterinary Microbiologists and was appointed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services to serve on the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (2005–2008). Dr. Roth is an immunologist with a background in diseases of livestock.
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ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
