The Japanese Society of Antimicrobials for Animals has expressed its support for the recommendations titled “Strengthening Epidemiology Education in the Veterinary Field for the One Health Era,” which were jointly released by the Society of Farm Animal in Infectious Diseases, the Japan Society of Veterinary Epidemiology, Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI), and the Japanese Society of Veterinary Science.
The recommendations were also submitted to Technical Education Division, Higher Education Bureau, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) and Japanese Association of Establishments for Veterinary Education.
As the interconnections between humans, animals, and the environment become increasingly complex, there is a growing need not only to address livestock infectious diseases, zoonoses, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR), but also to respond appropriately to tumors and lifestyle-related diseases that are on the rise in companion animal practice and other areas of clinical veterinary medicine. In all of these areas, an epidemiological perspective is now essential to support evidence-based decision-making and action.
In response to this situation, the recommendations set out future directions for epidemiology education in Japan’s veterinary field. They call for strengthening both lectures and practical training so that veterinarians can apply epidemiological knowledge from the first day after graduation, as well as for enhancing educational structures to foster professionals who can contribute actively on the international stage in line with the One Health approach.
