One Health has gained support across a broad range of disciplines as an approach to problem solving at the human-animal-ecosystem interface. However, international training opportunities for professionals seeking to operationalize the approach remain limited. Rx One Health, built on the previous success of the Envirovet Summer Institute, was developed to provide immersive, learner-centered One Health professional development. Coordinated by the University of California-Davis, Sokoine University of Agriculture in Tanzania, and the University of Rwanda, Rx One Health was designed to bring together diverse instructors to deliver a curriculum predicated on an experiential learning theory. In June 2017, Rx One Health hosted 21 participants from five countries with backgrounds in human and veterinary medicine, public health, and agricultural development in East Africa. Over four weeks, participants worked with livestock-keeping communities neighboring wildlife areas in Tanzania and Rwanda to better understand issues impacting human and animal health and welfare, livelihoods, planetary health, and conservation. Topics such as zoonotic disease, human-wildlife conflict, mental health, ecotourism, and food safety were explored through community engagement and role-playing exercises, field-based activities, lectures and discussions with local experts, and small-group problem solving. Participants also practiced animal handling and sampling techniques, including non-invasive methods, to assess shared health risks. The culminating learning experience was an immersion exercise during which participants acquired on-site information via interactions with stakeholders to develop a model for a One Health dairy cooperative in Kinigi, Rwanda, an initiative to balance conservation, health, and livelihoods of residents. To evaluate the effectiveness of Rx One Health, a combination of quantitative and qualitative assessments was developed. Self-efficacy ratings for all program objectives increased significantly after training, suggesting participants may be better able to apply the One Health approach to problem solving as well as anticipate challenges to implementation. The experiential learning method, specifically the opportunity to engage with local communities, proved to be impactful on participants’ professional and personal development. While additional follow-up is necessary, programs such as Rx One Health may be a critical component to building a global workforce capable of working with communities and other stakeholders to better understand and live with wildlife.
Topics: ONE Health , Topics: Linking Science to Action , Topics: Communication and Education
