| Sections | |
|
Program Goals Program Description Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 |
Year 4 Clinics Focus Areas - (Forms) Clinical Competencies Veterinarian's Oath |
Focus Area for Epidemiology, Public Health, and Public Policy
Focus Area Leader
Dr. Malcolm Roberts
Description of the Focus Area
- This focus area is for students who are interested in a career that involves working with populations of animals, public health studies and/or policy, and/or epidemiology.
- The combined DVM/MVPH program is available for a student committed to a career in animal health and veterinary public health. Contact Dr Levine, Director, MVPH Program, jay_levine@ncsu.edu for further information. An additional six months will be required to complete the MVPH degree.
- A student entering the combined DVM/PhD program may pursue graduate training in the population medicine and public health concentration area. Contact Dr Correa, maria_correa@ncsu.edu concentration area leader for further information
Advisors
Identify and register with a faculty mentor who can advise on requirements and opportunities in this focus area.
These include although are not limited to the following faculty members
Dr Maria Correa
Dr Peter Cowen
Dr Laurel Degernes
Dr Suzanne Kennedy-Stoskopf
Dr Jay Levine
Dr Mike Martin
Dr Malcolm Roberts
Dr Barrett Slenning
Dr Michael Stoskopf
Steps to pursue a focus in epidemiology, public health and public policy
- Identify an advisor within the focus area. If you are considering pursuing the MPVH or a PhD, contact the program directors directly.
- Plan CVM selectives and other activities (see below) with the help of your advisor
- Make contacts/arrangements for externships during summers and 4th year
- Plan 4th year CVM rotations
Year 1-3 Requirements
Didactic and group problem-solving courses
Year 1 VMP 991 Evidence-Based Medicine (Dr Levine), fall, 3 credits
Year 2 VMP 945 Epidemiology and Public Health (Dr Cowen), spring, 3 credits
Year 3 VMP 958 Exotic and Emerging Diseases (Dr Cowen), fall, 1 credit
Year 1-3 Recommended Courses
VMP 991E Emergency animal health and public health programs (Dr Levine; selective in co-operation with USDA and state emergency programs), required, one week, fall, spring
VMP 991T Experiences in aquaculture (Dr Levine), one week, spring
VMP 991R Emerging diseases of international importance (Dr Cowen), one week, spring
VMP 991U Veterinary medical terminology in Spanish (Dr Correa), one week, spring
VMC 991V Environmental medicine and policy (Dr Stoskopf), one week, spring (even year)
VMB 992B Interpersonal skills (Dr Swanson), both weeks, spring
VMB 992I Food animal residue avoidance (Drs Riviere/Baynes), both weeks, spring
VMC 991N Professional meeting (Dr Bristol), week one or two, both semesters, to include Conference of Research Workers of Animal Disease, ISVEE, etc
VMC 991W International veterinary medicine (Dr Stoskopf), one week, fall
VMP 992B Advances in poultry health research and communication (Dr Ley), both weeks, spring
VMP 992D PCR-based diagnosis of bacterial disease (Drs Orndorff), both weeks, fall
VMC 997 Veterinary international field studies (Dr Correa), students in years 1-3, Dr Correa arranges programs in South and Central America (selective under senior year listing; students get credit for one or two weeks)
Fourth Year Required Rotations
Complete the core curriculum rotations
1) VMM 977 Clinical laboratory and necropsy
2) VMM 978 Clinical pathology, parasitology, and immunology
3) VMA 976 Radiology
4) VMA 977 Clinical anesthesia
5) VMC 973 General surgery, or VMC 975 Equine Surgery (choose one)
6) VMC 960 Small animal emergency, or VMC 966 Large animal emergency/critical care, or VMC 976 Veterinary clinical care (choose one)
7) VMC 971 Small animal medicine (four week block), or choose one of the following two week blocks: VMC 954 Small animal medicine for food animal students, or VMC 979 Equine medicine
8) Population medicine course (choose one from)
VMF 970 Ruminant health management
VMF 982 Poultry health management
VMF 984 Swine health management
Complete at least six blocks, with three blocks consecutive, in the two separate epidemiology rotations (12 weeks)
VMP 973 Special topics in epidemiology (Dr Roberts) – local, national, international, student-originated studies; can involve marine mammals, birds, fish, wildlife, exotics, companion animals, horses, food animals, emerging diseases, foreign animal diseases, CDC, preventive medicine. Special topics project will be developed with a designated mentor.
Note: The Externship rotation (VMC 995) that previously was used to extend time for research or field investigation, or for other extramural experiences will be designated under Special topics in epidemiology (VMP 973)
VMP 979 Epidemiology (Dr Correa) – data analysis, study design, local and international experiences, animal shelter, exotics, wildlife, avian, swine operations, herd-health management
Students are strongly encouraged to consider the following rotations
VMP 958 Emerging and Exotic Diseases of Animals (Cowen) Iowa State University web-based “self-study” course to be taken as convenient, with subsequent case study/discussion section led by Dr Cowen
VMP 000F Electronic Global Monitoring of Emerging Diseases. Students will gain an understanding of emerging diseases of animals and humans using the ProMED-mail global electronic monitoring system (www.promedmail.org). Disease monitoring will be in near “real time” and require developed web based skills to obtain and summarize current outbreaks anywhere in the world. Section led by Dr Cowen.
VMC 999 Veterinary International Field Studies (Dr. Arasu is the course coordinator. There are multiple mentors; Dr Correa mentor for focus area students) – field investigations of domestic and wild animal, bird, and aquatic species throughout the world
Other Experiences
Weekly focus area opportunities for students in years 1 – 3 and senior year
CBS 610A Population Medicine forum – Tuesday, 12.15 pm, room D-236; current topics in epidemiology, public health, and population medicine presented by professionals in regulatory veterinary medicine, public health, industry, and academia; one semester required as an elective
CBS 817, CBS 818 Advanced topics in zoological medicine – Thursday, 4.15pm, room D-239; clinically oriented discussions of medical issues impacting free-ranging and captive populations; may be taken as an elective
Student opportunities in all years
Veterinary Student Public Health Corps (vet student club)
Contact jay_levine@ncsu.edu
NC Division of Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology
Phone duty – contact Dr Carl Williams 707-5900
(Sit in and listen to actual calls from the public seeking information about rabies and other zoonoses)
Suggested external program opportunities for students in the focus area
Food Safety Research Response Network
Summer internship program; summer stipend $4,500
Apply on line at http://www.fsrrn.net/modules/content/index.php?id=31
Epidemiology elective program– CDC for senior medical and veterinary students
www.cdc.gov/epo/dapht/eis/elective.htm
NC State University veterinary students have participated in this program over the past several years. Veterinary students are increasingly appreciated at the CDC for their breadth of knowledge. The program is highly competitive.
The Epidemiology Program Office (EPO) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers an elective in epidemiology for senior medical and veterinary students. The purpose of the elective is to introduce preventive medicine, public health and the principles of applied epidemiology.
Students are offered the opportunity to actively assist in epidemiologic investigations of infectious diseases and areas such as cancer, congenital malformations, environmental and occupational diseases, injuries (intentional and unintentional), chronic diseases, and reproductive health and population dynamics. Students are exposed to the day-to-day operation of CDC's nationwide surveillance system.
Students will be involved in diverse projects to work on during their elective. Some participants have become co-authors on publications of major health importance. Other students receive experience in applied epidemiology through assisting in the investigation of public health problems throughout the United States, and the analysis of public health data.
Most elective assignments are based at CDC headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. However, students have been assigned to a state or local health department, the Indian Health Service in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the Division of Vector-borne Infectious Diseases in Fort Collins, Colorado, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in Cincinnat , Ohio, or the Arctic Investigation Laboratory in Anchorage , Alaska .
Students are often supervised by a member of a select group of "medical detectives" known as Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) Officers, many of whom are “alumni” of the epidemiology elective program.
Externships at North Carolina Department of Agriculture, Emergency Programs Division
North Carolina is nationally recognized as a leader in Emergency Preparedness and Response to diseases that affect animal agricultural or have a public health impact. Students have taken summer and externship positions at the Emergency Programs Division working with emergency preparedness projects. This involves a wide range of activities that will help NC be prepared in case of an outbreak of a Foreign Animal Disease (FAD), bioterrorism or agroterrorism threat. The emergency programs division utilizes a Geographic Information System interface, and is developing unique programs to monitor diseases in different animal populations.
USDA APHIS eastern regional office, epidemiology division
Veterinarians working in animal disease control from USDA eastern regional office have participated in the epidemiology and public health curriculum at the College of Veterinary Medicine for several years. They contribute to the current VMP 945 and VMP 958 courses through involvement in small group discussions and individual lectures. Several USDA epidemiologists at the regional office are adjunct professors in the PHP department.
Students have arranged externships in conjunction with USDA personnel.
USDA FSIS Veterinary student employment with FSIS
Students will be assigned to an FSIS veterinarian as a mentor. They will observe and learn the role of in-plant veterinarians in ensuring the safety of meat and poultry products that reach the consumer. Students will spend time with other veterinarians in the Agency to understand the range of veterinary activities, visit an FSIS laboratory, the Technical Services Center, and the Headquarters in Washington , DC . Positions with an hourly salary will be available during vacations beginning May or June. The goal of the program is for the student to complete 640 hours of work and is designed to encourage first and second year student participation.
Information – www.fsis.usda.gov/vetstudents
NC Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, Epidemiology section (from web site)
Students will have the opportunity to a) Investigate disease outbreaks and unusual situations and to implement measures to minimize further transmission of disease, b) Monitor disease-reporting by physicians and laboratories to detect trends and to assess the public health impact of disease, c) Contribute to the primary channel of communication between public health agencies, private physicians, and hospital and occupational infection control personnel, as an essential part of disease control efforts, d) Explain public health interventions and disseminate health education messages to the community and the media in order to enhance disease control efforts
Individual and targeted study opportunities
The focus area of epidemiology, public health and public policy provides a wealth of individual opportunities because of the diverse nature of the disciplines and the applicability of the methods and epidemiologic tools to generate critical information.
Summer research internships working with individual investigators are available at the CVM through the competitive Research Office scholars program
Externships can be obtained at CDC, Plum Island foreign animal disease laboratories (DHS), and USDA veterinary services eastern regional office. Specifically, an externship working on import/export and FAD's can be arranged at USDA-APHIS in the eastern regional office or in Washington DC (DrCorrea)
Other Useful Information
Useful web sites
ProMED-mail (Program for Monitoring Emerging Diseases) http://www.promedmail.org
John Snow and the Broad Street Pump http://www.sph.unc.edu/courses/course_support/case_studies/JohnSnow/
Epiinfo (data manipulation, graphing and statistics) http://www.cdc.gov/epiinfo/
WWW Virtual Library: Epidemiology Page http://www.epibiostat.ucsf.edu/epidem/epidem.html
EPIVET-L (Veterinary epidemiology listserv) Subscribe: listserv@upei.ca
Epidemiology Supercourse http://www.pitt.edu/~super1/
Office International des Epizooties (OIE) – World Organization for Animal Health http://www.oie.int/eng/en_index.htm
Food Safety and Bioterrorism. FDA/CFSAN http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/fsterr.html
USDA APHIS hot issues http://www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/issues/issues.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention http://www.cdc.gov/
FSIS veterinary student employment opportunity http://www.fsis.usda.gov/vetstudents
Career Opportunities
USDA/APHIS state veterinary medical officers
Regional epidemiology positions (require additional degree), animal health surveillance, regulatory compliance, outbreak investigation, disease control and eradication
USDA/FSIS public health veterinarians
Public health veterinarians responsible for ensuring the safety of the commercial supply of meat, poultry, and egg products moving interstate or exported to other countries, is wholesome, and correctly labeled and packaged. Involved in epidemiology, pathology, and evaluation of food safety programs to reduce prevalence of food borne hazards
US Military
US Army Veterinary Corps
US Air Force Public Health Corps
Enter as captain or equivalent; further training to Master's level (MPH, MVPH) and specialty board certification (e.g., ACLAM, ACVPM) will advance career
Food safety, food security, canine corps, preventive medicine
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Epidemiologic intelligence service (EIS)
Speciality branches: Special pathogens, Viral and Rickettsial zoonoses, NCID National Center for Infectious Diseases, Global Health, HIV surveillance, Epidemiology Program office
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Center for Veterinary Medicine
Center for Food Safety and Nutrition
Drug evaluation and product safety, food safety
State Departments of Agriculture veterinary services
Veterinary medical officers, disease surveillance, outbreak investigation, disease control and eradication, biosecurity
State Departments of Public Health, Epidemiology
Case surveillance, outbreak investigation, preventive medicine
Pharmaceutical industry
Clinical trials, basic research
Other agencies that hire veterinary epidemiologists
Pan American Health Organization
World Health Organization
US AID
United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization
Office International des Epizooties
Peace Corps