ecsrhm

European College of
Small Ruminant Health Management

EUROPEAN CONFERENCE

“Small Ruminant Health Management”

Greece, October 2011

Further details will be posted here, as soon as they become available

Objectives

The objectives of the ECSRHM are as follows.

Acting as an institution to qualify members of the veterinary profession as specialists in small ruminant health management by establishing and defining the standard of qualification based on evidence-based medicine (EBM).
Developing graduate teaching programmes in small ruminant health management.
Developing and supervising EBM continuing education programmes for veterinarians interested in small ruminant health management.
Encouraging its members to pursue original scientific investigations and to contribute to the relevant literature.
Defining and describing the speciality discipline of small ruminant health management.
Supervising the professional activities of its members and ensuring that such professional activities are guided by EBM.
Promoting collaboration with national veterinary associations, farmers associations, government institutions and international agencies.

This new veterinary speciality refers to the following: (i) husbandry, internal medicine, obstetrics and reproduction, surgery, as applied to epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, therapy and control of diseases of small ruminants (sheep, goats), (ii) individual patients or flocks/herds, (iii) quality and safety of products from small ruminants and (iv) control of transmitting zoonoses.

Diplomates

    Veterinarians elected as Founding Diplomates or Diplomates of the College are registered as such and are authorised to use the designation of "Diplomate of the European College of Small Ruminant Health Management", abbreviated as Dip.ECSRHM.
    This is the highest European specialization title in small ruminant health management. It is a superior professional veterinary qualification, with high academic standards.
    Veterinarians must meet all the following general criteria for election as Diplomates of the College.

Have a good moral and ethical standing in the veterinary profession.
Practice veterinary medicine in a European country or be entitled to obtain a licence for practicing in Europe (unless this obligation is waived by the Board).
Have successfully passed the certifying procedure of the College.

Diplomate status is revoked to individuals who practice the speciality for less than 60% of professional time devoted to aspects of small ruminant health management and related activities or when the speciality has not been practised for two continuous years or the equivalent of two years within a period of five years. Diplomate status is also revoked to individuals who do not abide by the Constitution and the Bylaws of the College, as well as to those who do not participate actively in the affairs of the College or do not pay promptly the annual membership fees.
Normally, Diplomates are recognised after success in the certifying examination of the College. However, during the initial stages of organisation of the College, Diplomates will be de facto appointed on the basis of their scientific and professional achievements, which will be evaluated by the Founding Diplomates - Invited Specialists of the College.

Future development

The establishment of the ECSRHM will help to harmonise and develop the veterinary speciality of small ruminant health management across Europe. The Founding Diplomates of the College aim to develop the College by admitting veterinarians working in the speciality, at the same time maintaining the high standards set forth at the Constitution of the College.
Although the College has only recently been established, plans are already available for its development, for the establishment of residency training places and the organisation of scientific meetings. All these will help to develop the speciality across Europe, thus offering better quality services to farmers and ultimately improving the health and the welfare of small ruminants.