SUMMARY OF CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS Preparing the Veterinary Profession for Corporate and Trade Issues in the Americas Santiago, Chile, May 6-8, 2001

Recent events such as foot-and-mouth disease in South America and Europe, and BSE as well as dioxin in Europe, have highlighted the complex nature of global trade, the fragility of the food chain, and the critical importance of veterinarians in the detection and effective control of these problems. An international conference, Preparing the Veterinary Profession for Corporate and Trade Issues in the Americas, was held in Santiago, Chile, May 6-8, 2001, to focus attention on the critically important relationship between veterinary education, veterinary regulation, and the world food industry, and to stimulate international dialog on the key issues of food safety, food security and safe trade.

Leaders from government, academics and industry, from each side of the equator, were asked to delivery plenary presentations on their vision of the future and how the three sectors could interface more effectively. Regulatory veterinary medicine was represented by Dr. Eduardo Correa Melo, current Director of Panaftosa, and previously Chief Veterinary Officer for Chile and Dr. Alejandro Thiermann, Senior Trade Coordinator for the USDA APHIS. Both predicted a future in which regulatory veterinary medicine will shrink and there will be a greater demand for increased quality control, with increased partnering between regulatory and industry groups. Dr. Thiermann stated that globalization will have a more significant and beneficial effect on people worldwide than the industrial revolution did. In this new environment, evolving as a result of the creation of the World Trade Organization, preservation of competitive advantages requires transparency so that both quality and credibility of governments will be paramount. Adequate academic training is essential to ensure a cadre of prepared professionals.

Speaking for academics, Dr. Macarena Vidal, Director, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile, and Dr. Lonnie King, Dean, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, both addressed the tremendous economic, social, and cultural changes occurring with globalization and the necessity that veterinary education capitale on these changes. In South America, curricula are not well-harmonized with one another and there is tremendous variation in degree programs, rendering it difficult to ascertain if veterinarians are prepared to assume decision-making responsibilities regarding international transport of food. In North America, a strong orientation toward companion animals fails to provide adequate training for those interested in acquiring the necessary skills for the evolving opportunities in agribusiness, public health, emerging diseases, and free trade. If veterinary colleges do not prepare graduates for this emerging market demand, the positions will be filled by other professions. These other professions lack the broad-based scientific knowledge about animal physiology and disease causation. However, both Drs. Vidal and King voiced the concern that changing curriculums is akin to "moving a graveyard" and that the academic systems need to be more flexible to meet rapidly changing global trends.

Industry spokespersons included Dr. Juan Miguel Ovalle, Presidente de Asociacion de Productores Avicolas de Chile and Dr. Robert Jones, Senior Vice President, Alpharma Health Division, Fort Lee, New Jersey. Dr. Ovalle emphasized the importance of quality along the entire food production chain. Cost is no longer the single most important factor for the consumer. As standard of living increases, consumers are demanding quality at every point in the chain, from guarantees of environmental preservation and humane treatment of animals, to antimicrobial and other residue controls. These integrated concepts need to be considered more prominently in the regulatory framework and also addressed sufficiently by academics. Dr. Jones gave an overview of the current global situation with respect to animal health products. To maintain global food security, it will be essential that animal health companies and regulatory entities work in closer cooperation. Also, animal health industries must train entry-level veterinarians as the current educational system does not provide the necessary skills, including molecular biology, statistics, experimental design, technical writing and communications, to allow them to be immediately useful to the industry.

Afternoon breakout sessions were held to address some of the critical areas mentioned in the plenary sessions. Several common themes emerged from these sessions. First, it is essential to develop a more flexible veterinary curriculum to allow students to develop skills necessary for working in the global environment. Second, greater use of the internet was encouraged to allow information to flow freely regarding these issues. Third, government agencies need to involve universities more in developing emergency preparedness plans. Fourth, creation of academic externships funded by industry would allow greater partnering and be mutually beneficial. A follow-up conference was encouraged.

The complex and rapid-paced development of international trade coupled with increasing societal demands for the production of not only abundant and inexpensive food, but also food that is safe and has been raised in a humane and environmentally friendly manner, demands immediate attention from the veterinary community. The new culture of global trade agreements, spurred by the development of the WTO, dictates massive changes and increasing integration of public and private sectors. This is a huge growth area for our profession and will require individuals with a skill set we do not yet provide in our educational framework.

In North America, veterinary education is parochial and focused on specialization. This strong orientation toward companion animals fails to provide adequate training for those interested in acquiring the necessary skills for the emerging area of globalization and trade. In South America, curricula are less harmonized with one another and there is tremendous variation in degree programs, rendering it difficult to ascertain if veterinarians are prepared to assume decision-making responsibilities regarding international transport of food.

If we do not begin to adequately prepare our graduates for this emerging market demand, the positions will be filled by other professions. These other professions lack the broad-based scientific knowledge about animal physiology and disease causation. Decisions made without adequate background could have devastating consequences for society, including incursions of unwelcome diseases, food safety problems, and public health issues. To prepare our new veterinary graduates for the future and this emerging market, it is important to nurture a global mindset within our academic communities and to promote communications, languages, and an interdependent team mentality. Areas of technical expertise that need a place, perhaps a parallel track, in the curriculum include production medicine, public health, food safety, and international veterinary medicine.

The major trade corridors of the future regarding animal-based protein are between flows between North and South America. It is absolutely essential that we find areas of consensus and deficiencies so that we can harmonize our trade agreements, and ensure adequate flow of safe food products from one continent to the other.

At the conclusion of the conference, Dr. Jim Nave, President of the AVMA, stated, "With all of the current global changes involving international trade, it is imperative that our profession move forward on some of these critical issues. Failure to do so will be a big missed opportunity and we cannot afford to miss any opportunities."

The Proceedings of the conference will be published in the Journal of Veterinary Medical Education.

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