USDA Partners with CET to Employ Continuing Education Program for Foreign Animal Disease Diagnosticians
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Center for Educational Technologies (CET) at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (CVM) announced a cooperative agreement for the creation of a continuing education program for foreign animal disease diagnosticians (FADDs). CET’s proven record to develop high-quality instructional materials and the USDA’s expertise in addressing foreign animal disease (FAD) outbreaks will provide a sustainable continuing education program for veterinary diagnosticians and animal health technicians.
Elizabeth Clark, laboratory training specialist at the USDA’s Professional Development Services Branch, spearheaded the cooperative agreement and will serve as the USDA project manager for the project. The $306,000, two-year contract from the USDA will result in a series of web-based case studies and training workshop packages that will be utilized by states to conduct FAD continuing education workshops. This recent partnership builds on previous collaborations between the two entities, including the Phytosanitary Regulatory Capacity Building Project and development of the Foreign Animal Disease Investigation Manual.
The USDA works in a variety of ways to protect and improve the health, quality, and marketability of our nation’s animals, animal products, and veterinary biologics. When it comes to safe guarding the country’s agriculture industry from the threat of FADs, the USDA enlists the help of veterinarians from across the United States. These FADDs respond to potential outbreaks, conducting field investigations to rapidly diagnose and contain disease outbreaks before they can spread.
The CET is an innovator in creating high-impact veterinary educational programs. CET’s programs are designed to address today’s educational challenges through blending student-centered learning pedagogies with innovative technologies. Moreover, CET’s content authoring application, StepStone, will streamline the development process while also providing the student with a unique learning path of the curricula. Media-rich and highly engaging, CET’s curricula represent the next generation of veterinary education. As innovators in veterinary education, CET’s education experts are outfitted to develop training materials using StepStone’s unique functionality that will extend FADD’s knowledge and skills in conducting field investigations.
“FADDs are on the front lines of defense. When disease outbreaks arise, FADDs work to quickly diagnose, contain and eradicate the disease before it can spread,” stated Dr. Jodi Korich, director of the CET and clinical assistant professor at the CVM. “The training program developed through this project will provide valuable continuing education for FADDs, ensuing they have update-to-date knowledge and skills necessary to safeguard the U.S. food supply.”
As trailblazers in their respective fields, this cooperative agreement between the USDA and CET is sure to make great strides in continuing education for veterinary diagnosticians and animal health technicians.
