TV5010 - Veterinary Public Health

Available to graduate students with a degree in Veterinary Science (other appropriately trained graduates may enrol at the discretion of the Director of the Australian Institute of Tropical Veterinary and Animal Science).

This subject covers those elements of veterinary science that influence or have potential to influence human health and wellbeing. Students will focus on zoonoses, particularly tropical zoonoses, and the reasons for emerging and re-emerging zoonoses; students will also learn to apply their veterinary knowledge in order to assess risks to the food chain and how to ameliorate and control those hazards through risk-based inspection and application of pre-requisite programs and HACCP. Students will also utilise risk-based approaches to assess the importance of surveillance schemes and biosecurity for both disease control and market access. The relevance of the One Health concept will be emphasised throughout.

Learning Outcomes

• advise on the consequences for human health and the environment of animals and their management, and through this contribute to the improvement of human well-being as part of a multidisciplinary team;
• advise on the suitability of animals for food production, recognise and apply the principles of food hygiene and safety, including food inspection and control, and implement the principles of health certification of food;
• explain the scientific basis for the legislative control of food and protection of the environment;
• apply the principles of risk analysis, particularly as they relate to food safety at all stages of the food chain;
• operate food safety management systems based on principles of Good Manufacturing/Hygienic Practices (GMP, GHP), Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) and Safety and Quality Assurance systems.

Note: Minor variations might occur due to the continuous Subject quality improvement process, and in case of minor variation(s) in assessment details, the Subject Outline represents the latest official information.