MCEACHRAN DIALOGUES: ANIMAL HEALTH EDUCATION IN A CHANGING WORLD

The McEachran Dialogues allow thought leaders to reflect on how to future-ready animal health professionals. Changing expectations, capacities, and threats are inspiring reflections on animal health education. Strategies are needed to (1) recruit and prepare applicants by tailoring training to their strengths; (2) engender social accountability and ecological literacy, (3) cope with shifting needs and expectations and (4) break barriers, promote diversity, and advocate for systems change. Two tensions emerged; (1) the need for specialization versus the need to connect knowledge and disciplines with society; (2) the perception of a need for change with a view that programs are changing and (3) veterinary medicine can be a barrier to including other views and skills. A future ready strategy must, (1) teach a spectrum of care that promotes equitable access to care; (ii) remove barriers to learning; (iii) cultivate diversity in ideas and skills and (iv) model social accountability.