Why the University of Sydney should integrate One Medicine into their Human and Veterinary Medicine curriculums

Kristy Goh writes. 

One Medicine is a promising approach recognised by many renowned leaders in the field of medicine and veterinary medicine for being able to benefit both the lives of humans and animals. Yet it remains unrecognised by the University of Sydney as a valid research and pedagogical opportunity. 

For those unsure about what One Medicine comprises, it refers to the “concept whereby human and animal healthcare advance hand in hand with vets, doctors and researchers collaborating to ensure that all humans and animals benefit from sustainable and equal medical progress but not at the expense of an animal’s life.” The science behind One Medicine lies in the similarities that humans and animals have in terms of their physiology as well as the diseases that both groups are inflicted by. In the field of biomedical research, techniques which are currently implemented in human medicine, such as blood transfusions, hip replacement surgeries as well as heart valve replacement surgery, just to name a few, were all developed and tested initially in animal models. 

Collaborative research between human researchers and veterinary researchers allows scientists to both better understand diseases and apply the benefits of their work to both humans and animals. For example, in a study which analysed the genome of dogs with intracranial tumours and compared them with humans with intracranial tumours, it was found that both groups exhibited mutations in ancestrally related chromosome regions, showing that these mutations may have a role to play in both canine and human intracranial tumours. This knowledge can then open up more avenues of research into better understanding how these tumours come about as well as bring forth the development of new technologies for treatment.  

One Medicine not only progresses disease research, but also improves the welfare of animals involved in research studies and cultivates respect for animals. In recent years, zoobiquity conferences have been held at medical and veterinary schools, whereby physicians, veterinarians and researchers from both fields are invited to present talks on how their research can benefit patients in both fields. Collaborative research between physicians and veterinarians can allow the treatment of afflictions as they naturally occur, rather than purposefully making animals ill when conducting research. This way, no animal is purposely inflicted with cancer and researchers are able to get the data they require for the purposes of research, which is truly the best of both worlds.

It’s no surprise then, that given these benefits, several forward thinking universities have embraced the concept of One Medicine. Some have incorporated it into their curriculums, allowing medical students to work with veterinarians. Harvard medical students who enroll for the One Health Clinical Elective in the comparative medicine program, for example, go on four-week rotations shadowing veterinarians at Franklin Park Zoo and Stoneham’s Stone Zoo, allowing students to draw links between human and animal health and disease.

Babara Natterson-Horowitz, a cardiologist at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Geffen School of Medicine, joins rounds at the Los Angeles Zoo and also invites UCLA residents and medical students to join her on these trips. In return, veterinary cardiologists are also invited to teaching rounds at UCLA. This allows cross-disciplinary exchange of knowledge and experience and helps physicians and veterinarians become better doctors for their patients. By inculcating such a culture in school, graduates from both medical and veterinary schools will have gained experience which allows and encourages healthcare professionals of both fields to continue working with each other. 

And yet, despite these possibilities, the University of Sydney lags behind. Whilst the University of Sydney School of Veterinary Science and the University of Sydney Medical School are ranked first and second respectively, there are little to no opportunities for collaboration and interaction between the students and researchers of both faculties. This presents a clear loss in learning opportunities, which if provided could potentially revolutionise the area of clinical innovation in both fields. There needs to be more opportunities for collaboration, partnership and research between students from both faculties as well as between residents in sydney medical teaching hospitals and veterinary teaching hospitals. 

Overseas universities have proven that One Medicine isn’t just a pipe dream. The University of Sydney could encourage cross-faculty research groups, or shared lectures across both faculties. Moreover, with the support of both faculties, there could be student interest groups set up whereby medical students interested in a particular area, for example neurology, can interact with and share ideas with veterinary students who also have special interest in neurology. By providing a structured and formal environment for One Medicine, graduates from the medical and veterinary schools from Usyd will have developed unique skills and built strong networks for further development of clinical innovation and research in their future careers, giving them 21st century competencies and the ability to spearhead new innovations in their chosen fields. 

Thumbnail photo by Andy Wang.