Veterinary education

• Related links

  • Oie Global Conference on Veterinary Education
  • Ad hoc Group on Veterinary Education
  • Competencies of graduating veterinarians
  • Guide to Veterinary Education Twinning Projects
  • Veterinary Statutory Body
  • Press release 16/11/2009
  • Press release 21/04/2008

The veterinary profession, which celebrated its 250^th anniversary in 2011, has a key role in society now and in the future. Fulfilling this role requires that veterinarians are highly competent and that they respect ethical rules and practices. The principles for professional conduct are the subject of international standards published in the OIE Terrestrial and Aquatic Animal Health Codes, with consensual adoption by all OIE Members.

Society expects that veterinarians demonstrate professional ethics and competence – and this depends on high quality initial and continuing veterinary education to give each veterinarian at least a minimum knowledge on key topics relevant to societal demands (e.g. on animal health, food safety and animal welfare).

Unfortunately, the quality of veterinary education is not acceptable in many countries today. Veterinary education needs to be strengthened globally, notably with respect to:

• the establishment of minimum competencies, as it relates to the delivery of national veterinary services;
• the harmonisation of key curriculum elements, to facilitate international mobility of veterinarians;
• the harmonisation of approaches to the recognition of veterinary education establishments globally; and
• the administration by the Veterinary Statutory Body (VSB) at national regulatory framework for the veterinary profession.

With the support of its Members, the OIE has become the leading global organisation addressing these and related issues.

Veterinary Services of quality, comprising both public and private sectors, that can implement the OIE standards, are recognised as ‘global public goods’ and there is an urgent need, particularly in the developing world, to strengthen their competence. Veterinary education of quality and effective veterinary statutory bodies are the cornerstones of good governance of Veterinary Services; quality and international harmonisation contribute to improving animal health and welfare globally.

In 2012 the OIE published Recommendations on the Competencies of graduating veterinarians (‘Day 1 graduates’) to assure the quality of national Veterinary Services at the entry-level. These recommendations are relevant to all Member Countries, regardless of the prevailing societal, economic and political circumstances.  

The document can be found here.

Resolution 32 – Good governance and veterinary education – identifies future priorities the World Assembly of Delegates would like to see addressed in this area. Included in this resolution are the following recommendations:

• The OIE should continue to work closely with Member Countries and the National leaders of Veterinary Education Establishments (VEE), Regional and Global Organisations and donors to support efforts to improve the quality of (initial and continuing) training of veterinarians and to promote harmonised approaches to recognition of qualifications, notably with the support of VSB;
• The OIE should develop recommendations on a core/basic veterinary curriculum relevant to the delivery of quality national Veterinary Services for consideration of the Assembly at the 81st General Session (May 2013);
• The OIE should finalise the procedures for twinning of VEE and of VSB, and should convince governments, regional and international organisations and donors to support these initiatives.

Relevant provisions on the quality of veterinary services may be found in the OIE Terrestrial Code Chapter 3.1. and, with particular reference to the obligations of veterinarians when providing animal health certification, in Chapter 5.2.

Contact: trade.dept@oie.int