We are excited to feature Dr. Deborah Thomson, the dynamic founder of One Health Lessons!
Dr. Thomson has passionately championed educational programs that integrate human, animal, and environmental health for a more sustainable future. Through her leadership at One Health Lessons, she educates and inspires a global audience on the importance of holistic health approaches. In this exclusive interview with OHDI, Dr. Thomson discusses the mission of One Health Lessons and her groundbreaking work in this field.
Hello Dr Deborah, thank you for being our One Health Personality of the Month for May 2024!
Please introduce yourself to us, telling us about your profession, educational background, including your past and current experiences in relation to One Health.
I am a Veterinarian, Educator, Public Speaker, Author, and CEO. My story has not followed a straight line. I first learned about One Health in 2008 while in veterinary school, even though I had already had an undergraduate degree (BSci) in Biology with a focus in Ecology. Also, before veterinary school, I was teaching so when I finally learned about One Health I thought of 2 things: (1) My life finally makes sense and (2) Why wasn’t I teaching this all along to my students?
While at Tufts Veterinary school, I created and conducted two One Health (OH) research projects that brought me to Nepal and Tanzania, respectively. My veterinary school mentor, Dr Robyn Alders (the world’s authority on village poultry medicine and wellness) has been a source of strength and friendship ever since. When I graduated, I left Tufts with (1) a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree and (2) a Postgraduate Certificate in International Veterinary Medicine.
Fast forward several years, I find myself creating lessons for children about One Health after getting home from a 10-hour workday at the animal hospital. Then, on my days off, I went into classrooms and taught these lessons with undergraduate students from the University of California at Berkeley. I did that for years. I was doing that under the radar. Sure, there was a local impact in the United States but nothing like what is happening now.
On the first of May 2020, One Health Lessons was launched, and the One Health space was forever changed.
Today, One Health Lessons (the world’s leading educational NGO that has made an impact in at least 98 countries with lessons in more than 30 languages– including Pidgin English!) is about to celebrate its 4th anniversary. Follow the One Health Lessons’ LinkedIn page for the invitation to join the online celebration taking place on May 4th. Please see my personal LinkedIn page to stay up to date.
Could you please tell us why you chose to align your profession with One Health and why you think it is an important field?
It’s simple. One Health can save the world. Every profession and every person has a role on a One Health team.
Tell us about your organization One Health Lessons (OHL). Why was it set up and what are the core goals of the organisation?
There was a need to educate the world about One Health at the community level and OHL does exactly that. Before vet school, my students were between the ages of 5 and 65 so I already knew different teaching techniques to keep the attention of various ages. I always aim to create lessons that are highly engaging, entertaining, and memorable because the subject matter (OH) must be remembered.
However, I am only one person and I wanted to impact as many people as possible with the knowledge of OH and the ability to teach about OH in a fun way. That is why OHL has the Ambassadors Program.
The next Ambassadors Graduation Ceremony will be on May 4th of 2024 with the convocation speaker being Dr Yewande Alimi, the OH lead at the Africa CDC and a member of One Health High-Level Expert Panel (OHHLEP).
As a Science Policy Advisor and Science Communication expert, what do you consider to be the key challenges confronting the One Health movement?
The inability to explain OH in a simple way is the largest challenge. The UN Quadripartite has adopted OHHLEP’s 88-word definition of OH. After working full-time in federal policy, I would be completely shocked if any politician (or even their staff) would stick around to listen to the end of the definition. Policymakers are simply too busy and are pulled in so many directions (managing many different policy areas), so OH communication must be direct and effective, by necessity.
I recently finished writing a textbook chapter dedicated to OH communication called “Bringing One Health Home” (the textbook was a group effort with my colleagues in Europe and the UK). I write about my experience in a coffee shop asking strangers to read the 88-word definition of OH and then have them explain it back to me. Spoiler alert: the general public (non-scientists) found issues with the definition. There were vague words. I recommend reading that textbook chapter thoroughly and working on the practice activities. It is scheduled to come out at the end of 2024. Follow my LinkedIn for more info.
What do you think are the solutions to these challenges?
I would like for more people to read my book “The Art of Science Communication: Sharing Knowledge with Students, the Public, and Policymakers”; More people become OHL Ambassadors and teach others in their communities how to teach about OH; More people attending my OH communication workshops at various conferences; More people joining communication clubs like Toastmasters International; and more people reading leadership books and business or sales books.
As Chair of the World Veterinary Association’s Subgroup on One Health Education, could you share strategies or initiatives you find most effective in promoting One Health education? Additionally, how do you encourage students to actively participate in the global One Health movement?
The first deliverable that we brought to the public (and answers your question in detail) can be found on the WVA website. Look up “One Health Education position statement“.
Every student interested in OH should participate in an International Student One Health Alliance (ISOHA) club at their university. If it doesn’t exist at their school, then start one. Directions should be on the ISOHA website. Also, as a first activity with that club, enroll all members in the OHL Certified Lesson Leaders and Ambassador program. Another activity is to translate OH Lessons with OHL.
On personal reflection, what has been the most rewarding aspect or accomplishment in your One Health work?
It is tied, actually.
(1) creating the current OH global education movement with OHL has been beyond my wildest dreams
(2) writing and advocating for (called “shepherding”) the very first piece of OH legislation in the US (one of the first in the world) and seeing it succeed. It declared January of 2020 to be “National One Health Awareness Month” in the US (the legislation passed in 2019). Since then, the One Health Commission through Dr Cheryl Stroud’s immense and inspiring efforts has continued this to inspire global awareness campaigns each January.
If you were omnipotent for a day and you have the ability to make changes to various One Health issues, what would you tackle first? What would your priorities be?
Communication. Just look at the busy infographic associated with the OHHLEP’s 88-word definition. Communication is top and center. OH team members and their team leaders must have strong communication skills to be as effective as possible. There is no time to waste.
How do you navigate the demanding nature of your work while maintaining a healthy work-life balance? Could you share with us some of the strategies or practices you employ to effectively ease off work tension?
I absolutely love hiking. I love being in nature. I love water. I love my family. I try to surround myself with people and environments that feed and heal my soul.
Thank you for taking the time to share your valuable insights with us, Dr. Deborah Thomson. Your thoughtful responses contribute to our mission of promoting awareness and understanding of One Health principles. Best wishes for your future endeavours from the entire OHDI team!
