Recipient Organization
TUFTS UNIVERSITY
200 WESTBORO ROAD
N. GRAFTON,MA 01536
Performing Department
Infectious Disease and Global Health
Non Technical Summary
In recent years it has become clear that human, animal, and environmental health are interconnected. For example infectious diseases quickly move across species and geographic boundaries as illustrated by tuberculosis crossing between livestock and wildlife; West Nile virus emerging in North America infecting birds, horses and people; toxoplasmosis threatening critical sea otter populations off the coast of California; a novel strain of avian influenza, incorporating genes from human, swine and avian sources, reached global pandemic proportions in a few short months (Pandemic H1N1 influenza virus). The concept of One Health has continued to lead the headlines of national and international discussions. Since its inception, the Cummings School has strived to meet the One Health challenge in a variety of ways including our popular combined degree program in veterinary medicine and public health, the DVM/MPH and, now, in creating the first U.S. Master of Science in Conservation Medicine. The Master of Science in Conservation Medicine, a singular education and training program tailored to the One Health paradigm, promises to strengthen the growing community of conservation medicine professionals working cooperatively to provide solutions that incorporate human, animal and environmental needs toward a sustainable future.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
The Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University is launching a ground breaking interdisciplinary Master of Science in Conservation Medicine (MCM) program. The program's overarching goal is to produce a broad range of professionals capable of addressing calls from the global community for an interdisciplinary "One Health" approach to the numerous and complex population and environmental health challenges facing our world. As a founding member of the Consortium for Conservation Medicine and an educational institution known for its pioneering programs and research projects spanning the globe, the Cummings School is well positioned to develop and implement such a program. The concurrent launch of a United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded project in global health brought additional and unexpected opportunities and resources to the formation of the MCM program and considerable progress was made toward the goal of admitting the first class of students in Fall 2011.
Project Methods
In the coming year, we will prepare for full program implementation by establishing a uniform pedagogy and evaluation, formalizing faculty assignments and curriculum resources, recruiting students from targeted programs around the country and abroad, and reviewing applications for admission.