July 23, 2021
K-State's US-China Center for Animal Health encourages public and private partnerships
The U.S.-China Center for Animal Health, or USCCAH, is a true example of "one world, one health." Established in 2010 at Kansas State University's College of Veterinary Medicine, the center aims to improve the veterinary training system in China to the level of the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education's accreditation standards and to promote U.S.-China research collaborations focused on combatting emerging and major infectious animal diseases.
Lei Wang, manager of education programs for the center, and her colleagues, Jishu Shi, center director, and Frank Blecha, associate dean for research, recently published an article detailing the benefits and importance of this collaboration between the U.S. and China. The value of global collaboration was made especially evident after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2018 outbreak of African swine fever in China, which has caused substantial damage to the swine industry. Veterinary services have a critical role in the control of infectious diseases from spreading worldwide, contributing to the One Health initiative.
"One important goal of the USCCAH is to bring top Chinese students to the United States to study veterinary medicine, with the goal of having them return to China once they receive their veterinary degree to teach the next generation of veterinarians at universities in China," Wang said. "It provides an opportunity for partner universities in the United States to build connections with China and increase their global impact on veterinary education and the veterinary profession."
"Today, more than ever, veterinary medicine has a global mission and responsibility," Blecha said. "With each passing year, our graduates of the U.S.-China Joint Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Program return to China, fulfilling our collective dream of 'one world, one health' and foretelling a bright future for veterinary medical collaboration in the world."
The article, "Building public-private partnerships to advance global veterinary medical education: the US-China Joint DVM Program," was published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association.