Epidemiology, Public Health, and Public Policy Focus Area
Option 2: Students in the DVM program with an interest in Epidemiology, Public Health, and Public Policy
- Required - didactic/group problem-solving (both options, see Combined Program schedule)
- Year 1: VMF 991 Evidence-based medicine (Dr Levine), fall semester, 3 credits
- Year 2: VMF 945 Clinical epidemiology and population medicine (Dr Cowen), spring semester, 2 credits
- Year 3: VMF 958 Public health and food safety (Dr Cowen), fall semester, 2 credits
- Selectives years 1 -3, fall or spring semesters (check current listings)
Required and/or possible - VMF 991T Experiences in aquaculture (Dr Levine), one week, spring
- VMF 991R Emerging diseases of international importance (Dr Cowen), one week, spring
- VMF 991U Veterinary medical terminology in Spanish (Dr Correa), one week, spring
- VMC 991V Environmental medicine and policy (Dr Stoskopf), one week, spring (even year)
- VMA 992B Interpersonal skills (Dr Swanson), both weeks, spring
- VMA 992I Food animal residue avoidance (Drs Riviere/Baynes), both weeks, spring
- VMC 991N Professional meeting (Dr Bristol), week one or two, both semesters
- VMC 991W International veterinary medicine (Dr Stoskopf), one week, fall
- VMF 992B Advances in poultry health research and communication (Dr Ley), both weeks, spring
- VMM 992D PCR-based diagnosis of bacterial disease (Drs Altier/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
- Other selectives
From focus area option 1 (see Combined Program schedule) - VMF 000A Biosecurity and disease control 1, one week, spring
- VMF 000B Biosecurity and disease control 2, one week, fall
- VMF 000C Diagnostic techniques and assessment 1, one week spring
- VMF 000D Diagnostic techniques and assessment 2, one week, fall
- Scientific writing has been listed previously; should be offered
- Fourth year
The following requirements will apply to all students in the focus area (options 1 and 2) - Core curriculum for students in each option
Two required rotations (4 weeks)
- VMM 977 Clinical laboratory and necropsy
- VMM 978 Clinical pathology, parasitology, and immunology - At least five of the following six rotations (10 weeks)
- VMA 976 Radiology
- VMA 977 Clinical anesthesia
- VMC 973 General surgery
- VMC 976? Veterinary emergency medicine (or equine emergency equivalent) - new courses
- VMC 971 Companion animal internal medicine
- VMC 979 Equine medicine - At least five blocks, two blocks consecutive, in the two epidemiology rotations (10 weeks) (one credit/two weeks)
- Special topic project developed with designated mentor; desired outcome - presentation at a regional/national meeting, and a manuscript ready for submission
- VMF 973 Special topics in epidemiology (Dr Roberts) -local, national, international, student-originated studies; marine mammals, birds, fish, wildlife, exotics, companion animals, horses, food animals, emerging diseases, foreign animal diseases, CDC, preventive medicine
- VMF 979 Epidemiology (Dr Correa) - local and international experiences, animal shelter, exotics, swine operations, herd-health management
- VMC 995 Externships (Can extend period in research/field investigation together with one of the epidemiology rotations)
- Required on-line course "self-study" to be taken when convenient
- VMF 000E Emerging and Exotic Diseases of Animals (Iowa State University) 1 credit
- Students choose remaining electives from any of the fourth year rotations to complete requirements, for example:
- VMC 997 Veterinary international field studies (multiple mentors; Dr Correa mentor for focus area students) - field investigations of domestic and wild animal, bird, and aquatic species throughout the world
- Other fourth year electives that need to be developed: VMF etc.
- Weekly focus area opportunities for students in years 1 - 3 and senior year
- CBS 610A Population medicine forum - Tuesday, 12.15pm, 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
- Suggested external program opportunities for students in focus area options 1 and 2
- Epidemiology elective program- CDC for senior medical and veterinary students
www.cdc.gov/epo/dapht/eis/elective.htm
NC State veterinary students have participated in this program over the past several years. Veterinary students are increasingly appreciated at 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.
Elective 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.
Diverse projects are offered for students 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 participation in the investigation of public health problemsthroughout the United States and the analysis of public health data.
Most elective assignments are based at CDC headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. However, assignments to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in Cincinnati, Ohio, Morgantown, West Virginia, or Anchorage, Alaska, can be arranged. Occasionally, students are 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, or the Arctic Investigation Laboratory in Anchorage, Alaska. Elective students are often supervised by 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
www.ncagr.com/oep/default.asp
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 have contributed to the VMF 958 Public health and food safety course through involvement in small group discussions to 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.
- 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 discipline and the applicability of the methods and epidemiologic tools to generate critical information. Recent student projects include the development of risk assessment models for dolphins in Scotland, and control strategies for brucellosis in bison in Yellowstone National Park.
Summer research internships working with individual investigators are available at the CVM through the competitive Research Office program. Externships can be obtained at CDC, Plum Island foreign animal disease laboratories (DHS), and USDA veterinary services eastern regional office
- Conferences
Not available
- Extracurricular activities
Not available
Useful web sites include:
- 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 via email: 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/
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
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 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