Ecosystem health as a clinical rotation for senior students in Canadian veterinary schools

We describe 4 years of an experimental rotation in ecosystem health offered to senior veterinary students in Canada. Faculty from the four Canadian ve terinary colleges collaborated in offering the rotation once annually at on e of the colleges. The first rotation was held in Guelph, Ontario, in 1993, followed in successive years by rotations at Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Sain t-Hyacinthe, Quebec, and Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. The rotation is a predominantly field-based experience that allows students to work with veterinary and other role models who are actively engaged in clinical rese arch related to ecosystem health. Five specific field studies that worked p articularly well during the rotations are presented. These studies involved investigating mortality in wildlife due to botulism, designing an environm ental surveillance system around herds of beef cattle, using belugas to eva luate the health of the St. Lawrence River, dealing with competition for wa ter use by aquaculture and agriculture, and exploring the role of veterinar ians during major coastal oil spills. The experience has resulted in our de veloping the subject matter, field examples, teaching approach, and confide nce necessary to make ecosystem health the focus of a productive clinical r otation for senior year veterinary students.