Joint degree programs in public health

Public health and veterinary medicine share a focus on population health and primary prevention, along with a commitment to preparedness, response, and recovery in the event of disease outbreaks. Public-health and veterinary professional degree programs share commonalities in their educational accreditation requirements related to epidemiology and public-health practice. The initiation of a number of joint professional degree programs over the last five years, including the joint Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and Master of Public Health (DVM/MPH), represents an exciting development for inter-professional education for veterinarians interested in public health. Various models for joint DVM/MPH educational programs are discussed, including pre-veterinary public-health credentialing, integrated programs, and post-DVM executive programs. Collaborations between colleges of veterinary medicine and schools of public health show great promise in both educational and research innovation.