OIE - Competencies expected of graduates in veterinary medicine

Participants at the First World Conference on Veterinary Education, held in Paris (France) in October 2009 by the OIE under the theme: An Evolving veterinary education for a safer world, and the second global conference, organized Lyon (France) in May 2011 as part of the celebration of World Veterinary Year Vet2011 have supported the work of the OIE (World Organisation for Animal Health) to determine the knowledge basis that any veterinarian in the world should acquire as part of their initial training.
Following the work of the Expert Group on the OIE veterinary education, from all continents, I am pleased to send you a copy of the brochure entitled "Recommendations of the OIE on minimum competencies expected of graduates in veterinary medicine to ensure high quality services vétérinaires1 nationals. " The skills listed include the most important expectations of society with respect to the veterinary profession and fall under the concept of global public good (eg the recognition of infectious diseases, food safety and animal welfare).
I refer you for further information to the OIE website and to Resolution No. 34 passed in 2011 by the World Assembly of national representatives of the 178 Member Countries of the OIE (a copy of which is attached to this email for information).
In addition, priority lines of work in progress to the OIE on the topic of veterinary education are mentioned in Resolution No. 32 passed in 2012 (a copy of which is also attached to this email for information). This work will provide more detail on the contents of each minimum qualifications listed.
Of course, the demand exerted towards the veterinary profession may vary in detail from one country to another. This is why the list of minimum competencies covers only part of the contents of the initial veterinary education in each country, the other part being related to local circumstances.
I would also like to recall that the OIE is not intended to audit the veterinary schools and the main objective is to convince policy makers to implement a quality education for the benefit of all veterinarians in the world . To this end, the OIE twinning programs prepare between educational institutions of its Member Countries to accelerate desired changes.
Thanking you for your continued support to the activities of the OIE on the progress of veterinary education in the world, I beg you to accept, dear (expensive) colleague, the expression of my feelings best.
Bernard Vallat

1. Recommendations of the OIE on minimum competencies expected of graduates in veterinary medicine to ensure the high quality of national Veterinary Services 
2. Resolution No. 32: good governance and Veterinary Education (adopted in May 2012 by the World Assembly of national representatives of the 178 Member Countries of the OIE) 
3. Resolution No. 34 Veterinary Education (adopted in May 2011 by the World Assembly of national representatives of the 178 Member Countries of the OIE).