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Public Health Care Rotation

Code: 102681 ECTS Credits: 3
2024/2025
Degree Type Year
2502445 Veterinary Medicine OB 5

Contact

Name:
Francesc Accensi Alemany
Email:
francesc.accensi@uab.cat

Teachers

Joaquim Segales Coma
Natalia Majo Masferrer
(External) Rocío Vadillo
(External) Vanesa Esteva

Teaching groups languages

You can view this information at the end of this document.


Prerequisites

The present subject, Public Health Rotation (RSP, from Catalan Rotatori de Salut Pública) is included in the 5th year of the Veterinary studies, present integrative characteristics from an academic point of view.

IMPORTANT: It is compulsory that the students had done 230 ECTS prior to be matriculated in the present subject and, moreover, to have also passed all the subjects from the three first years of the degree. Is such conditions are not fullfilled, it is not allowed to join the RSP


Objectives and Contextualisation

The present subject, has as leitmotiv the idea of giving a professional status to the student. According to that it is designed and organized to allow the undergraduate students to have access in the Public Health context of the Veterinary Profession

Formative Objectives:

  1. To know the main tasks of the Veterinary profession related with Public Health and Animal Health in general
  2. To understand and learn the importance of the inspection and control duties of the Veterinary profession in the production of food from animal origin with all the sanitary warranties
  3. To understand the importance of Animal Health and the tasks of Veterinary supervision and inspection in the prevention of zoonosis
  4. To acquire conscience of Animal Welfare as an intrinsic element in the evaluation of modern animal health and husbandry
  5. To know the importance of the production fo food from animal origin in the social and economic context in our country
  6. To develop analytical abilities to evaluate both food and ranching industries

Competences

  • Assess and undertake epidemiological studies and therapeutic and preventive programs in accordance with the standards of animal welfare, animal health and public health.
  • Comunicar la informació obtinguda durant l'exercici professional de manera fluïda, oralment i per escrit, amb altres col·legues, autoritats i la societat en general.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the rights and duties of the veterinarian, with a special focus on ethical principles
  • Have basic knowledge of the profession, and in particular of the organisation and functions of professional practice.
  • Identify, control and eradicate animal diseases, with special emphasis on zoonoses and notifiable disease
  • Perform ante mortem and post mortem inspection of livestock and properly identify the problems that affect the quality and safety of products of animal origin destined for human consumption.
  • Perform risk analyses, including those of environmental and biosafety, and evaluate and manage them.
  • Perform sanitary control of different types of catering and food companies and establishments, and implant and supervise quality management systems.
  • Work effectively in single or multidisciplinary teams and show respect, appreciation and sensitivity for the work of others.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Apply ethical values that govern the behavior of veterinarians in clinical practice in relations with other veterinarians.
  2. Apply measures to monitor environmental risks related to the food industry.
  3. Apply suitable inspection protocols for each food establishment.
  4. Apply the methodology recommended by the OIE for risk analysis in animals and products of animal origin.
  5. Apply the procedures for investigating food-poisoning outbreaks, and tracking and surveillance systems for food risk.
  6. Communicate information obtained during professional exercise in a fluid manner, orally and in writing, with other colleagues, authorities and society in general.
  7. Design an intervention strategy to deal with an outbreak of an animal disease.
  8. Determine the efficiency of a self-supervision process and know what corrective measures to apply in case of error.
  9. Explain in detail the functioning of a slaughterhouse and the food-safety monitoring mechanisms in place, identifying the advantages and the practical limitations of the technical bases for slaughterhouse controls.
  10. Have basic knowledge of the profession, and in particular of the organisation and functions of professional practice.
  11. Identify in practice the most common food-safety risks in slaughterhouses and know the modus operandi to be adopted in order to avoid these.
  12. Identify the advantages and the practical limitations of disease control techniques in field situations.
  13. Identify the functions and tasks of the public bodies and departments involved in the control of animal health and the veterinary aspects public health.
  14. Identify the possibilities and limitations of a zoonosis control program, considering the global view of food safety.
  15. Implant and supervise the principles of good hygiene practices, danger analysis and critical checkpoints and other quality and safety management systems.
  16. Work effectively in single or multidisciplinary teams and show respect, appreciation and sensitivity for the work of others.

Content

The contents of this subject are divided into 7 teaching modules of around 5-8 hours duration each, some of them with morning and afternoon hours, which is equivalent to 50-55 hours of face-to-face teaching . In addition, a 1-hour introduction session to the subject is scheduled.

The organization of the subject, then, is as follows:

1. Assessment of the organization chart and the main functions and responsibilities of the veterinary profession in the field of animal husbandry, food safety and animal welfare (Headquarters of the Department of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda, Barcelona ).

2. Center for Research in Animal Health: presentation of the center's functions in the field of epidemiological surveillance and introduction to the concepts of biosecurity and biocontainment (CReSA, UAB campus, behind the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine).

3. Visit to the Mercabarna Central Fish Market (Zona Franca, Barcelona) (Barcelona Public Health Agency).

4. Visit to the CESAC (Poultry Health Center of Catalonia and Aragon), a laboratory designated by the DACC, for carrying out the official analyzes of the diseases included in the official poultry programs in Catalonia (Reus, Tarragona). Includes a visit to the laboratories of the Poultry Health Center of Catalonia.

5a and 5b. Two visits (variable location) accompanying inspectors from the Catalan Public Health Agency (ASPCAT). These visits last throughout the day (morning and afternoon).

6. Visit to a regional Office or the Territorial Services of the Department of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda (DACC). This visit lasts throughout the day (morning and afternoon).

7. Border Control Points (Punt de Control Fronterer, PCF). Activity carried out in the Faculty's conference room, where the staff of the Border Inspection Services (Barcelona port and airport) will explain their role in a theoretical session and discussion of practical cases.


Activities and Methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Autonomous 15 0.6 3, 4, 8, 7, 13, 12, 14, 15
Introduction 1 0.04
Tutorial 2 0.08
Type: Supervised      
Nine external visits 55 2.2 3, 4, 8, 7, 13, 12, 14, 15

The sessions programmed in the RSP consist -by the most part- in external visits to institutions, both public and private linked to activities of both Public or animal Health

Most of activities are, mostly, supervised activities by “external” tutors (Activities 1-7). Teaching supervision is carried out by professional veterinarians directly or indirectly linked to the administrations involved in Public Health

The size of the student’s groups in each module will vary depending on the necessities or capacity of each activity

Attendance is compulsory. Attendance control is left to the external tutors in place, linked to UAB. Particular exceptions to this rule will be considered personally by the responsible of the subject

 

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.


Assessment

Continous Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Attendance to the activities 50% 0 0 3, 4, 8, 7, 9, 13, 12, 14
Quality of the presented reports 30% 1 0.04 5, 3, 1, 4, 2, 6, 11, 13, 12, 14, 15, 10, 16
Tests 20% 1 0.04 6, 15, 10, 16

The evaluation will consist of:

1) Attendance at all activities, which will account for 50% of the final grade.

2) Exams (at the actvities carried out in CReSA and in the headquarters of the Department of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda), which will be equivalent to 20% of the final grade and will deal with general and basic questions related to the modules taken.

3) Quality, clarity and depth of the 3 reports made in relation to the trips accompanying veterinarians-inspectors (former DACC and ASPCAT). The reports will be equivalent to 30% of the final qualification.

It is required to deliver the various reports and the absence of serious incidents (absenteeism, serious and repeated behavioral deficits, etc.) in the modules to approve the subject as a whole. Non-attendance, without due justification, at each of the scheduled activities will be penalized with a 20% reduction in the partial attendance grade (50% of the final grade); the possible penalty is applied to each of the programmed modules, which is why it is additive and may lead to suspension of the subject.

- Remediation: those students who have not been able to pass the subject according to the evaluation process explained previously, will be able to access a remediation test two weeks after the first call, at most.

This subject does not provide for the single assessment system


Bibliography

There is no specific bibliography, but is highly recommended to consult the web sites of the institutions and research centers involved


Software

There is no compulsory software to work with. In any case, it will be necessary to use a text editor (MS Word or similar).

We recommend the student to have an digital signature.


Language list

Name Group Language Semester Turn
(PAUL) Classroom practices 1 Catalan annual morning-mixed
(PAUL) Classroom practices 2 Catalan annual morning-mixed
(PAUL) Classroom practices 3 Catalan annual morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 1 Catalan annual morning-mixed