The need for aquatic Pathobiology training in the veterinary curriculum arises from the emergence of new production agriculture in the U. S which features aquatic animals and the requisite veterinary care of those animals. In recognition of this need, six veterinary schools located in the Southern Gulf Coast region of the U.S. (Auburn, Florida, Louisiana State, Mississippi State, Texas A&M and Tuskegee) formed a Consortium of Aquatic Pathobiology with a goal of establishing an inter-institutional plan for identifying expertise, developing course materials and a core curriculum for addressing the subject of aquatic Pathobiology. In 1990, the consortium sought and obtained support from the PEW foundation to develop course materials and present an intensive four-week course (Aquamed) on various aspects of aquatic animal medicine. Implementation of aquatic animal health management training in the veterinary curricula prior to the PEW initiative was difficult because faculty in veterinary medicine often lack the aquatic animal orientation inherent to the fishery professional's training while fisheries faculty often lack the disease and animal health orientation inherent to the veterinarian's training. As a result, few individuals with the requisite aquatic animal medicine background could be found in institutions of higher learning and those few individuals are widely scattered across the U.S.

Most veterinary medical educational administrators recognize that the need for training in aquatic Pathobiology transcends local interests. Dr. J.T. Vaughan, Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine at Auburn, during the 33rd Annual Symposium of Veterinary Medical Education in 1991 addressed the urgency for aquatic pathobiology training. "Although some of us are in a position to address the need more aggressively than others, all areas are affected to some degree. There is not a single veterinary school in the U.S. that does not lie in a state with significant relationship to sea or lakeshore, river system, major impoundment, or underground aquifer. All of these exert an impact at some point along the way on both the fresh and marine aquaculture resources. Seventeen of 26 colleges of veterinary medicine strategic plans examined either included specific mention of aquaculture or are known to have active programs in the area." The plan of the six schools of veterinary medicine of the Gulf States Consortium of Aquatic Pathobiology is to serve as both a training ground for other schools who desire to collaborate and a model for other regions of the country.

During the Spring semester 1992, a course "Diseases of Food-fish" originating form the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX was simultaneously presented to students on the campuses of Corpus Christi State University, Texas A&M University at Galveston and Texas A&M main campus via TTVN. Fundamental material, both of a theoretical and practical nature, was broadcast, providing an opportunity for students at distant locations to interact with the instructor(s) and for faculty at down-link sites to use and augment material sent via video signal as necessary. Laboratories involving "hands-on" experience in fish necropsy, parasite and microbial identification, cell culture and virus processing, etc. were simultaneously coordinated "on site" among the participating institutions. Our experience with this approach demonstrates to us that remote learning is a feasible way to overcome some of the current limitations associated with instruction in this increasingly important area.

As a follow-up to this activity, the consortium conceptualized a program in 1992 which would simultaneously deliver instruction to the six campuses of the consortium participants based upon satellite TV mode of presentation. The USDA Challenge Grants program supported the development and implementation of this program and a course on aquatic pathobiology was presented via satellite TV in Spring 1993. After some discussion, we decided to make the course available to universities outside the consortium, provided the interested institutions possessed capabilities of Ku band down linking. The response was enthusiastically positive. Sixteen other colleges of veterinary medicine - in addition to the six consortium schools - participated in the program.

This new aquatic pathobiology course was designed to orient the veterinary student toward health management of economically important aquatic animal species. Presentations involved interactive, live video sessions between classes and instructors from members of the Gulf States Consortium of Aquatic Pathobiology. Etiology and health management principles applicable to select aquatic animals were emphasized. Instruction was simultaneously delivered to veterinary students at 22 universities. The course was received by the veterinary colleges through satellite Ku band down linking. Students enrolled for one hr. credit at their home institution.

The course was presented during a four-week period Spring 1993 TTH 7-9 pm (CST), Mar 30-Apr 22, 1993, in eight sessions; one hour involved interactive TV and the other hour involved discussion and review of the following topics:

1.  Aquatic Environment/Clinical Examination

2.  Bacterial Septicemias

3.  Bacterial Diseases

4.  Protozoal Diseases

5.  Metazoal Diseases

6.  Virology

7.  Nutrition/Husbandry

8.  Therapeutics/Special Species

The Program consisted of one hour of lecture via TV (7-8 p.m. CST) followed by a 15 minute question and answer session via TV (8:00 - 8:15 p.m. CST) followed by questions and discussions via a phone bridge. A study guide for the Aquatic Pathobiology Course was prepared by Dr. D.H. Lewis, Texas A&M University. The course instructors and coordinators were:

This course was made possible through the auspices of the USDA/Higher Education Challenge Grants Program.