Undergraduate and postgraduate training of veterinary students and veterinarians in wildlife and conservation medicine at Murdoch University

Authors: Warren K
Publication: Proceedings of the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) Annual Conferences, Volume 2014 AVA Annual Conference, Perth, Issue Public Health, May 2014
Publisher: Australian Veterinary Association

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Abstract: Veterinary students require training in wildlife medicine to enable them to effectively deal with sick and injured wildlife and exotic companion animals that they will encounter working in private practice. Undergraduate training in wildlife and conservation medicine also provides a strong foundation for further postgraduate studies, which can be undertaken by students wishing to advance their knowledge of non-domestic species associated with their work in private practice, or those wishing to pursue a career as a veterinarian working in a zoo or wildlife conservation project. Conservation Medicine is an emerging discipline that involves the integration of veterinary science, conservation biology and public health in order to: advance biodiversity conservation; address issues associated with the inter-relationships between human, animal and ecosystem health; and study the effects of global environmental change on these health inter-relationships. This paper will discuss the training of undergraduate veterinary students and veterinarians at postgraduate level in the fields of wildlife and conservation medicine by staff in the Conservation Medicine Program, College of Veterinary Medicine at Murdoch University.

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