Ecosystem Health in Professional Curriculum: Experience to Date

In order to present a holistic view of defining problems and exploring long-term solutions for health-related issues, several colleges and universities are adopting an ecosystem health approach. While these curricular offerings are varied in nature, a number of common themes appear to be emerging. The case study is the preferred method for introducing the subject matter as this provides immediate relevance to the student studying within a specific discipline but, when carefully designed, promotes systems thinking and allows exploration of a number of features common to all complex systems. These include: interdependence of system components, complexity, uncertainty, and the need for transdisciplinary thinking when analyzing the issues. The articles appearing in this supplement are examples of how this approach has been introduced into a variety of curricula pertaining to human health, animal health, and other related fields.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]