A Masters in One Health is a new one year, full-time taught course offered by the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies. It is open to veterinary and medical graduates and undergraduate intercalating students.

The aim of this postgraduate programme is to provide scientific knowledge relating to aspects of ‘One Health’. The curriculum has been designed to address the current shortage in highly skilled veterinary and medical clinicians (as well as other scientists) who can enter government agencies, agricultural and food industries and fulfil invaluable roles in biomedical research, provide valid scientific advice and advise on policy development and implementation.

The educational aims of the taught element of the programme are to:

• Develop an understanding of the role of comparative medicine and animal models for human disease;
• Obtain an up-to-date concept of the current threats of emerging diseases in animals that may threaten human health and of other zoonoses and how these impact food security;
• Develop a basic understanding of epidemiological concepts as they relate to infectious diseases of animals, with a focus on those transmissible to humans;
• Attain a basic understanding of relevant (primarily molecular biological and immunochemical) procedures that are used as aids to biomedical research and disease control;
• Recognise the importance of the level of preparation required to undertake a bench or computer-based research project.

Aims

• Overall, the purpose of the programme is to:
• Provide students with a detailed knowledge and understanding of background principles and current concepts in One Health science;
• Develop an increased understanding and awareness of the application of scientific principles behind the One Health ethos;
• Develop the ability to apply scientific knowledge in a research project;
• Establish the ability to utilise effective and modern methods for describing and analysing the derived data;
• Enhance the ability to communicate the results and derived information in various forms of debate;
• Ensure an understanding of One Health science to enable the undertaking of independent research in future.

Qualifications for entry

Applicants should have either a veterinary degree (BVM&S or equivalent), a medical degree (MBChB or equivalent) or be intercalating veterinary or medical students. The closing date for applications is July 1.

Further details

The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, The University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Veterinary Research Centre, Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9RG; email: onehealth@ed.ac.uk , telephone 0131 651 3914

‘This new MSc in One Health will build on the close links between human and animal medicine within the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine at the University of Edinburgh. This Masters will be a flagship course for veterinary and human medicine, where members of both professions come together to study issues highly relevant to both human and animal health, taught by world leading scientists, to develop into the next generation of leaders in the global healthcare team.’

Professor Elaine Watson, Dean and Head of the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies