Veterinarians Partners on the Public Health Team Opportunities for veterinary students and practicin

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Veterinarians Partners on the Public Health
TeamOpportunities for veterinary students and
practicing DVMs to pursue an MPH degree
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Proud Heritage at theUniversity of Minnesota

• Over 175 veterinarians have completed advanced
  degrees in Public Health (MPH, MS, PhD) at the
  University of Minnesota
• Program built by veterinary public
  healthpioneers
• Dr. R.K. Anderson Dr. Mike Pullen
• Dr. Stan Diesch Dr. Ashley Robinson
• The CVM and SPH are within one of most
  comprehensive Academic Centers in the U.S.

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College of Veterinary Medicine

• Established in 1947
• One of the busiest small animal teaching
  hospitals, with 35,000 small animal cases/yr
• State of the art Equine center will be opening
• in Fall 2007
• Strong programs in public health, dairy, and
  swine
• The CVM is accredited by AAVMC

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School of Public Health

• Established in 1944
• Established the first U.S. Ph.D. program in
  epidemiology (1958)
• Highest amount of external funds awarded per
  faculty across schools of public health
• One of the top schools of public health in the
  country
• The SPH is accredited by CEPH

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Making the MPH more accessible

• DVM/MPH and Executive Program in PHP are built on
  distance education and Public Health Institute on
  campus intensive courses
• Incorporates field experience and masters
  project that can be completed at local level for
  distance participants
• Mentoring by experienced faculty and
  professionals enhances program

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MPH Curriculum Outline

• 42 semester credits
• Core coursework (22 credits)
• Overview seminar
• Foundational public health coursework
• Focus curriculum (20 credits)
• Targeting specific area of interest
• Capstone activities
• Field experience public health practice
• Masters project

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Core MPH courses

• Required for accreditation of MPH program
• Epidemiology
• Biostatistics
• Public Health Management
• Fundamentals of Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Environmental Health
• Required by UMN School of Public Health
• Ethics

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Examples of focus areas

• Focus courses fulfill the PHP domains
• Food Safety and Biosecurity
• Preparedness, Response and Recovery
• Public Health Leadership
• Culturally Responsive Public Health Practice
• Environmental Health Sciences

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Public Health Institute

• Intensive coursework
• 1 to 3 week format
• 1/2 to 2 credit courses
• Earn up to 2 1/2 credits per week
• Heavy on experiential learning

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Utilizes visiting and community faculty

• Lilian McDonald Health Department and TV
  reporter

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Executive Program in Public Health Practice (EPHP)

• MPH for working professionals with completed
  advanced degrees (e.g., DVM, MD, MSN, PhD,
  PharmD)
• To enhance competencies in public health and
  population science

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EPHP Curriculum

• Unit of focus courses build upon public health
  competency domains
• Allows students to tailor the educational program
  to their specific interests

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Executive Program in Public Health Practice (EPHP)

• Courses available Internet and Institute format
• MPH degree can be finished in as little as 15
  months full time
• Students can maintain their current practice
  while studying for MPH

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Veterinary Public Health (VPH) dual degree
curriculum

• Capitalize on compatible curricula
• Accept up to 14 transfer credits
• Available to use 4th year rotations to accomplish
  field experience and finish masters project
• Greatest flexibility for students who begin in
  the summer prior to veterinary school
  matriculation

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When do VPH students take courses?

• Students take focus courses during the
• Public Health Institute (PHI)
• Students take core courses on-line during the
  summer term or academic year

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How do students fit everything in?

• Use the Public Health Institute to earn up to
• 2 1/2 credits per week
• Take 2 to 3 on-line courses during the summer
• Take DVM electives during the school yearthat
  can be transferred into the MPH
• Finish field experience and masters project
  while enrolled as a DVM student or as a working
  professional

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Classroom, laboratory and field trip experiences

• Touring a poultry processing plant Exec
  student, Industry,
• Public health epidemiologist, Dual degree student

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Capstone experiences

• Integrate coursework into an experiential
  opportunity
• Field experience public health practice
• A total of 3 weeks in public health settings
• Masters project public health practice
• An investigation or intensive literature review
  of a public health issue

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Developing field experiences

• CDC rotations in Atlanta, GA
• Center for Epidemiology and Animal Health
• at Fort Collins, CO.
• Chronic Wasting Disease Surveillance
• Working with Department of Health and
• Board of Animal Health
• Work at Food and Agriculture organization of the
• United Nations in Rome

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MPH Field Experiences

• Alina Evans Minda Rostal
• class of 2008

Heather Swan class of 2007
Christy Novick class of 2008
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Masters projects emerge

• Public health implications of the African
  Bushmeat Trade in the U.S.
• Assessment of anthrax outbreak in North Dakota
  livestock and the use of personal protective
  equipment and post-exposure antibiotic treatment
  by livestock producers.
• Evaluate how veterinarians hear of new and
  emerging diseases
• Understanding the role of companion animals in
  transmission of methicillin resistant
  staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in long-term care
  facilities

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How much does it cost?

• Total cost for the MPH is approx. 20,000
  30,000 depending on the program
• Non-residents pay resident rate tuition as a
  distance program student
• Most students can complete the degree for less by
• Transferring credits from DVM curriculum or
  petition courses
• Receiving a scholarship for Public Health
  Institute courses
• Completing a field experience that covers costs
  or pays a stipend
• Participate in the VPH Fellows Program

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Veterinarians and Vet Students seize the
opportunity

• Currently 106 veterinary students are enrolled in
  the VPH program, representing 12 Colleges of
  Veterinary Medicine
• Currently 30 of the 78 in EPHP students are DVMs

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Lessons learned

• Collaboration
• Importance of a strong collaboration between the
  School of Public Health and College of Veterinary
  Medicine
• Need strong and supportive leadership,
  communication and commitment from all levels at
  both Schools
• Photo from Bobs party

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Lessons learned, cont.

• Course Delivery
• Public Health Institute on campus intensive
  courses
• Distance learning on-line courses
• Establish the infrastructure to support the
  program
• Provide opportunities of field experiences and
  MPH projects for students

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Lessons learned, cont.

• Communication
• Challenge to educate faculty at both Schools
  about the program including the goals of the
  field experience and MPH project
• Establish community partners

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Lessons learned, cont.

• Commitment
• Positive energy from both Schools and the
  Director of the Program
• Establish a critical mass of faculty in both
  Schools for advising and mentoring
• Provide role models for students
• Take opportunities to build a sense of community
  among the students
• Admit motivated students

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The opportunity is NOW!

• Tremendous demand for veterinarians in public
  health
• Must credential veterinarians to capitalize on
  new opportunities
• No single program or school can do it all this
  is a collective obligation of veterinary and
  public health scholars

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Contact informationDr. James Hart, EPHP
Directorhartx013_at_umn.eduDr. Larissa Minicucci,
VPH Directorminic001_at_umn.eduwww.sph.umn.eduDa
n Kovich, DVM/MPH alumni
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Alina Evans and Mindy RostalClass of 2008
MPH Field Experiences
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Dan Kovich, DVM/MPH alumni