Faculty Perceptions: A Qualitative Study of the Perceived Need, Opportunities, and Challenges of Developing “One Health-One Medicine” in the Medical, Veterinary, and Public Health Curricula

Abstract

Introduction: The conceptual framework of One Health (OH) provides a strategy for promoting collaboration across the nexus of animal, human, and environmental health, which is essential for tackling emerging disease threats, such as COVID-19. However, there is no accreditation requirement for OH to prepare students across the professions for collaborative practice. This study aimed to explore the perspectives of faculty across the medical, veterinary, and public health programs about the need, opportunities, and challenges of developing OH in the curricula. Methods: In this qualitative study, faculty across the three disciplines were invited to participate in audio-recorded, focus group interviews. Recordings were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using inductive and deductive thematic analysis. Results: All participants recognized the need for OH as a critical concept for preparing students for collaborative practice. Opportunities were identified for shared learning and research across the disciplines, particularly through the use of interprofessional education. The lack of an accreditation mandate for OH in the medical curriculum was perceived to be the greatest challenge, leading to an anticipation of significant resistance among medical educators and students. Discussion: Successful development of OH in all three curricula is vital to prepare students for current and future threats to global health. The role of accreditation bodies in ensuring medical, veterinary, and public health curricula prepare students for these threats is crucial. Implications for practice include strategies for persuading medical educators and medical students to embrace OH in the curriculum and promote a culture of shared learning.

Environment in Veterinary Education

“…To address the effect of climate change on health in a broader context, some authors have described the link between humans, animals, and their environmental and social contexts [ 14 , 15 ]. The conceptual framework of One Health (OH) provides a strategy for the promotion of collaboration across the nexus of animal, human, and environmental health, which is essential for tackling emerging disease threats [ 16 ]. Rweyemamu et al [ 17 ] concluded that the lessons learnt from recent zoonotic epidemics clearly indicate the need for coordinated research, interdisciplinary centers, response systems and infrastructures, integrated surveillance systems, and workforce development strategies.…”

“…Once we determine the main environmental issues that veterinarians must know, a question arises with regard to their coverage in existing teaching programs. Roopnarine et al [ 16 ] pointed out that there is no accreditation requirement for One Health to prepare students across the professions for collaborative practice. Environmental studies seem to be barely developed in veterinarian programs, although veterinarians usually collaborate with other professionals related to environmental studies.…”

A Focus on Methodology: A Mixed-Methods Approach to Conduct a Comprehensive Evaluation of the Need for One Health Education for Medical and Veterinary Students in the Context of COVID-19

“…Charts that depicted the students’ agreement and disagreement to the survey responses 15 and their definitions on OH 16 were presented to the faculty focus groups. The primary researcher had prepared semi-structured focus group questions described in the earlier referenced manuscript 17 that discusses the analysis and results of the faculty focus groups sessions. In order to address the clear biases that the faculty would have had regarding the need for OH education – as faculty recruited for the study were those involved in courses pertaining to IPE or OH – the primary investigator was aware that there would be potential biases in casting their perspectives on the institutional needs for OH.…”

“… 16 The qualitative focus group interviews allowed us to understand why these differences occurred as faculty explained that differences in accreditation mandates and curricula requirements influenced the differences across the programmes in IPE readiness as well as perceived relevance of OH to clinical practice. 17 …”

A Bibliometric Analysis of COVID-19 Scientific Literature From the English-Speaking Caribbean

“…Not only education but assessments were also conducted virtually for the postgraduate trainees at the UWI as there was an urgent and pressing need to graduate well-trained specialists in time to battle the COVID-19 pandemic [31]. Roopnarine et al suggested the importance of the conceptual framework of one health (OH) in medical, veterinary, and public health programs [32,33]. They opined that COVID-19 has proven that such an education in the curriculum is vital in preparing students for current and future threats to global health.…”