SIG in the Spotlight: Australian Veterinarians in Public Health Group

 

In this edition of SIG in the Spotlight, we turn our attention to the Australian Veterinarians in Public Health (AVPH) Special Interest Group, a passionate community making critical contributions at the crossroads of animal, human, and environmental health. AVPH President Dr Sarah-Jane Wilson shares her journey into leadership, the unique role veterinarians play in safeguarding public health, and the opportunities the group provides for professional growth and collaboration. 

 

What motivated you to take on the position of AVPH President?  

I have been an AVA member for many years and as my career path twisted and turned, I found an alignment with AVPH. I sought to provide some service back to the organisation at a national level, so became an exec member and then the president elect and eventually president (trying to fill some very big shoes from the presidents before me!).   

 

How would you describe the SIG and its members to someone looking to join?  

I’d describe our group as a very small but passionate and collaborative community of veterinarians dedicated to making a meaningful impact beyond the clinic - working at the intersection of animal, human, and environmental health. Our members come from diverse backgrounds including government, academia, industry, field specialisation, community practice and other - united by a shared commitment to public health, food safety, biosecurity, epidemiology, and the One Health approach. 

 

 

How does the group support its members day-to-day and what educational opportunities and resources are available to AVPH members?  

We have a conundrum in the AVPH in that a lot of what we could provide to members is often covered by government services free of charge! So, we try to run webinars that promote the national collaborative animal health services - such as the upcoming webinar with the interim Australian Centre for Disease Control (Aus CDC) and last year’s webinar with Animal Health Australia.   

We have some absolutely amazing members with specific skills in outbreak control and infection control and prevention that have delivered workshops at the national conferences that all vets should be attending. Sometimes it is difficult to compete with what seems mundane and everyday (but essential practice principles) when compared to things that are shiny and new.   

 

What are some of the most pressing public health challenges facing Australia and how essential are veterinarians to that?  

Great question - there are many! Where I think veterinarians play an essential role in public health (and not limited to these, but certainly these come to my mind):  

• Emerging and re-emerging zoonotic disease 

• Biosecurity and food security 

• Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) 

• Climate change and environmental health 

• Food safety and nutrition 

• Indigenous and rural health equity 

• Management of disease surveillance on the wildlife/livestock/human interface 

 

Do you think public perception about the essential nature of veterinarians in public health is changing? 

I do. I think the COVID-19 pandemic certainly demonstrated the skills of veterinarians well beyond the typical perception of vets in a clinic. Vets in epidemiology, laboratory work, local, state and national control centres, the level of management and field skills we have in responding to disasters including disease outbreaks makes us the ultimate health all-rounder.  

 

What are the goals for AVPH in 2025?  

I’m looking forward to an upcoming webinar that is being planned with the interim Aust CDC in October. We are also interested to see how the new AVA model might boost our SIG numbers. And my time is up - so we are looking for a new president.   

The AVPH newsletter team (Angie and Jess) do an amazing job of keeping the quarterly newsletter on track, so we need to gold star this goal to keep it going and support the team!