Online MPH Public Health Practice student and veterinarian Erica Tramuta-Drobnis recently published her article “The One Health Conceptualization of Public Health Practice, Veterinarians in Public Health: Looking Outside the Two-Legged Box” in the Fall 2019 issue of Lehigh County Health and Medicine.
Marrying her experience in veterinary medicine with her passion for public health, Erica was able to highlight the importance of a One-Health approach: the collaborative practice recognizing the interconnection in the health of humans, animals, and the environment. Erica’s first encounter with Public Health occurred in 2003 while she was enrolled in veterinary school and participated in the Envirovet Summer Institute. This program, which took place in the United States and Brazil, gave Erica the chance to learn about One-Health alongside other training veterinarians while learning about the intersection of the environment, animals, and health which ignited her passion for this health approach.
She says, “I hope to find a position that allows me to merge both fields and truly practice One Health, though what niche I may ultimately fall into, I am still not sure.” Erica is currently in her last semester of the MPH program and carrying out her internship with the Allentown Health Bureau. “While their primary focus is ultimately the health and safety of the City’s citizens, the Health Director, recognizes the value a veterinarian can provide to the field of Public Health.”
As part of her internship, she’s been asked to write an article for publication representing the Bureau’s quarterly submission. She has also developed two presentations about public health-related information to the City of Allentown. One discussing vector-borne diseases, prevention and control and the other discussing animal behavior and rabies as well as rabies and animal bite prevention.