A few weekends ago, ten Texas A & M veterinary students
joined students from twenty-eight veterinary colleges from all
across North America to learn more about the veterinarian's role in
public health. The "2012 Day at the Center for Disease
Control" in Atlanta, Georgia brought together students and
practitioners to celebrate the One Health concept. Besides
getting the opportunity to see a gorgeous complex, we were able to
hear from many different veterinarians and medical doctors about
their career paths in public health. Public health, from the
veterinarian's perspective, is the "sum of all contributions to
physical, mental, and social well being of humans through the
application of veterinary science." By applying what we know
about diseases shared by man and animals, we can contribute to the
health of the human population.
Have you seen the movie "Contagion" yet? There are
actually people, just like Kate Winslet's character, whose job is
to travel to the source of a disease outbreak and figure out what
agent is causing the disease, how it got there, how it is
spreading, and how to contain and treat the disease. The
Epidemic Intelligence Service hires physicians, PhD scientists, and
veterinarians for this task. They have responded to events
such as the West Nile virus epidemic in the 90s, the anthrax and
9/11 terrorist attacks, and even the Listeriosis outbreak in
cantaloupes we experienced last year.
Figuring out you want to be a veterinarian is just the first
step. I know I was extremely naive to all the career paths a
Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine can take you. Fortunately,
Texas A & M's CVM provides opportunities to students both
within and outside the classroom to explore different career
paths. Our Dean's Office graciously provided funding for
travel and board so that students could attend the conference in
Atlanta. It was really cool to meet people who have found
some less traditional ways to use their degree to benefit both
animal and man. Not only am I excited to see how my career
pans out, but I am equally excited to see all the unique paths my
classmates will take! It's kinda cheesy, but the sky really
is the limit!