New One Health course launched for DVMs, physicians

If you're into One Health in veterinary medicine and you like printable certificates (you know you do, you overachiever you), you'll be excited about the World Small Animal Veterinary Association's (WSAVA) newest certificate program to become a “WSAVA One Health Practitioner.”

Developed by the association's One Health Committee, the new program will comprise 20 RACE-certified modules (about 30 to 50 minutes each) on all aspects of One Health as it touches on companion animals. Take all 20, pass the five-question email quizzes for each one, and you'll get a certificate to display.

At press time, modules on direct zoonoses, domestic violence and comparative aging were available, with the entire series promised by early 2020 in an introductory video (see screenshot below) from Michael Lappin, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, at the Center  Companion Animal Studies at Colorado State University.

CAPTION: Screenshot from WSAVA One Health Practitioner certificate course introductory video.

The hope is that both veterinarians and physicians will eventually take the course to help “bridge the knowledge gap” about the intersection of human and veterinary medicine.

The course is free to WSAVA members, which includes AVMA members, as well as curious physicians and others around the world with an interest in One Health. You can reach program representatives here.

WSAVA represents more than 200,000 veterinarians worldwide through its 113 member associations and works to enhance standards of clinical care for companion animals. Its core activities include the development of WSAVA Global Guidelines in key areas of veterinary practice, including pain management, nutrition and vaccination, together with lobbying on important issues affecting companion animal care worldwide