Integrating a One Health approach in education to address global health and sustainability challenges

Emerging infectious diseases are economically, socially, medically, and environmentally costly, as evidenced by the H1N1 influenza pandemic. Their broad consequences demand interdisciplinary solutions. One such solution, known as the One Health approach, is a growing global strategy that is being adopted by health organizations and policy makers in response to this need. It recognizes the interconnected nature of human, animal, and environmental health in an attempt to inform health policy, expand scientific knowledge, improve healthcare training and delivery, and address sustainability challenges. Education will play a particularly important role in realizing the One Health concept; however, a shortage of collaborative student programs, insufficient environmental training for health professionals, and a lack of institutional support impede progress. As a group of students from ecology, medicine, veterinary medicine, and global public health, we offer a vision for improving tertiary education to prepare environmental and health professionals to address a changing world. We outline the need for, and challenges facing, One Health and suggest ways to implement a collaborative educational network, both within the US and internationally. We also emphasize training opportunities and highlight potential hotspots of One Health excellence in the US, which are poised to use existing educational resources to train a new generation of One Health professionals.