The Challenge of Integrating Ecosystem Health throughout a Veterinary Curriculum

Abstract

This paper focuses on the question, “How can concepts of ecosystem health be made widely applicable to the diverse interests of veterinary students?” To date, most effort has focused on promoting the training of veterinarians to take an active role in the field of ecosystem health. Less attention has been placed on how ecosystem health can be made useful and valuable to the full spectrum of students, from those intending to pursue careers in ecosystem health to those seeking employment in private clinical practice. The lack of standard curricula and expectations for ecosystem health courses makes it impossible to assess how educational experiences can be combined to deliver and assess the best course. In this paper, teaching goals and teaching techniques are suggested for institutions that are seeking to weave ecosystem health throughout their curricula. Rather than dogmatically defining ecosystem health, this paper outlines potential goals and attitudes for undergraduate veterinary education that can be extracted from the conceptual foundations of ecosystem health, health promotion, and population health. The participatory nature of ecosystem health argues in favor of teaching methods that are experiential, exploitative of stories, and inclusive of a diverse group of teachers and role models.