St. George's University Open Public Health Course Now Available for Credit

Free Eight-Week Online Course Examines Changing World of Global Medicine

GRENADA, West Indies, Sept. 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Building upon the success of last year's introductory online course, St. George's University will once again be offering this semester a free and open to the public online course from university faculty, "One Health, One Medicine: A Global Health Approach."

The University will also be offering credit for the successful completion of the course and a final online exam.  St. George's is one of only a few universities to offer credit for an open online course.  Students who wish to receive University credit for the course will take a final exam for a small fee.

Taught by Dr. Satesh Bidaisee, Associate Professor and Deputy Chair of St. George's Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, the course covers all global health issues that require human, veterinary and environmental applications for solutions.

"Our health challenges today are no longer defined by geographical boundaries but through the interactions and movement of people, products, animals and the environmental changes that occur around the world," said Dr. Bidaisee. "Together with colleagues, we designed this cutting-edge course to examine the global health "One Health, One Medicine" practice, to determine how humans and animals interact with the environment and the world as one". 

Charles Modica, Chancellor of St. George's University, said "The University is at the forefront of the One Health, One Medicine concept and this course lies at the heart of our mission to give back to the world in a deeper way. Our goal is to provide high quality courses that anyone can access. We will distribute more courses like this to citizens in third-world countries, empowering them with the knowledge to live healthier lives."

"One Health, One Medicine: A Global Health Approach" is an 8-week class offered in both a self-paced and instructor-led format. The course is geared toward pre-medical and pre-veterinary medical students, as well as anyone interested in public health and  careers including medicine, veterinary medicine, public health, life sciences, environmental health, health management and international health.

Divided into seven modules, this course examines history of medicine, one health one medicine concept, emerging infectious diseases, zoonotic diseases, food safety, environmental health, and international health. The course is a blended learning experience comprised of recorded lectures, discussion forums, case studies, assessment, and virtual "office hours" with staff and the professor. The video and audio lectures can be completed in weekly blocks requiring two hours of contact time per week. At the end of the seven modules, students will be invited to participate in case studies and peer reviewed final presentations.

The University plans to introduce advanced courses, building on students' knowledge and application of the concept of one health one medicine in their respective fields of healthcare. For more information, general questions and to register, please visit the website at http://online.sgu.edu/courses/SGUx/OHOM1/2014/about.

About St. George's University
St. George's University is a center of international education, drawing students and faculty from 140 countries to the island of Grenada, in the West Indies, to its programs in medicine, veterinary medicine, public health, science, and business. St. George's is affiliated with educational institutions worldwide, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Ireland. The University's over 14,000 graduates include physicians, veterinarians, scientists, and public health and business professionals across the world. The University programs are accredited and approved by many governing authorities and repeatedly recognized as the best in the region. For more information, visit www.sgu.edu.

About Satesh Bidaisee, DVM, MSB, MSPH, CPH, FRSPH, FRSTMH
Dr. Satesh Bidaisee is an associate professor and the deputy chairman for the Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine in the School of Medicine at St. George's University, Grenada. As a research investigator, Dr. Bidaisee supports community-based participatory activities in the areas of zoonotic disease prevention and control, emerging infectious diseases, food safety and food security, and the pursuit of the One Health concept. Research projects include Chagas Disease prevention and control programs in South America, Abattoir design and development for the Eastern Caribbean, and  pest management programs in Grenada. Dr. Bidiasee holds degrees as Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) and Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH). Dr. Bidiasee is also a member of the Society of Biology (MSB), United States National Board of Public Health Examiners, Certified in Public Health (CPH),  a Fellow of the Royal Society of Public Health (FRSPH) and the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (FRSTMH). Dr. Bidaisee also holds memberships to the International Society on Infectious Diseases, Food and Agriculture Organization, Veterinary Public Health Global Network, and the American Public Health Association.

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SOURCE St. George's University