The European College of Aquatic Animal Health (ECAAH), a newly established European College of veterinary specialization to help advance aquatic animal health in Europe
A new European College of veterinary specialisation has been established recently – The European College of Aquatic Animal Health (ECAAH). The ECAAH’s primary objectives are to advance aquatic animal medicine /health in Europe.
ECAAH covers all aquatic animal species:
• aquatic vertebrates and invertebrates (aquatic mammals, fin fish, shellfish) whether ornamental, cultured or wild.
• water quality, welfare, zoonoses, therapeutics and relative legislation.
It aims at improving and promoting the quality of veterinary practice through contacts of general practitioners with registered aquatic veterinarians by:
a) Establishing guidelines for post-graduate education and experience required as a prerequisite to become a specialist in the specialty of aquatic animal health.
b) Examining and authenticating veterinarians as specialists in aquatic animal health to serve the veterinary patient, its owner and the public in general, by providing expert care for all aquatic animals with medical diseases.
c) Encouraging research and other contributions to knowledge relating to pathogenesis, diagnosis, therapy, prevention, welfare, zoonoses and control of diseases directly or indirectly affecting aquatic animals, and promoting communication and dissemination of this knowledge thus providing improved services to public and industry.
The College has been approved by the EBVS, has a Board and at the moment is looking for de facto diplomates to form committees etc. (please see link and www.ebvs.org).
If you are interested to work in Europe and would like to have a European Board Specialization in Aquatic Animal Health and If you would like to consider going into a residency program, please contact Prof. Foteini Athanasopoulou (see list of contacts below).
One essential prerequisite for becoming a Diplomate of any EBVS recognised College is to be a graduated veterinarian from a higher education institution that is accredited in a respective country, and to have a licence to practice veterinary medicine in an European country. Non-veterinarians are not eligible for becoming a Diplomate of ECAAH, but can request the associate membership status in the College.
In general, some form of post-veterinary graduation experience (internship, masters, clinical/practice year or equivalent experience) will be required for admission into a residency program. The residency would take minimum of three years under supervision of an ECAAH Diplomate, during which time at least one publication as first author and second written proof of expertise (significant case study, set of small case reports, co-authoring a publication) will need to be produced by the candidate before becoming eligible to sit for a general and specialty exam.
PRESIDENT:
Prof. Foteini Athanasopoulou, WAVMA Past President
Laboratory of Ichthyology and Fish Diseases, Veterinary Faculty, Univ. of Thessaly
221 Trikalon str, Karditsa 43100, Greece
Tel +30 24410 66008, 66045, +30 6984214219
eathan@vet.uth.gr foteini8@gmail.com
VICE PRESIDENT:
Prof. Dusan Palic
Professor and Chair of Fish Diseases and Fisheries Biology
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich
Kaulbachstraße 37, 80539 Munich, Germany
Email: d.palic@fisch.vetmed.uni-muenchen.de
Tel: +49 (0)89 2180 2282
TREASURER:
Dr Hamish Rodgers Ireland
Vet-Aqua International, Unit 7b
Oranmore Business Park, Oranmore, Co. Galway, Ireland
tel/fax + 353 91 792997, mobile +353 87 6184166
email: hamishrodger@eircom.net
SECRETARY:
Ass. Prof. Vassilis Bakopoulos
The Department of Marine Science, Aegean University
University Hill, Mytilene 81100, Greece
Tel. +30-22510-36870
Cel. 6932371586
E-mail: v.bakopoulos@marine.aegean.gr
MEMBERS:
Dr Ioannis Vatsos Norway
Associate Professor in Veterinary Sciences at the Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture, University of Nordland, Norway
ivatsos@vet.auth.gr, inv@uin.no
Dr Francesc Padros University of Barcelona, Spain. UAB associated researcher, Animal Biology Unit, Veterinary Faculty. UAB.
Tel: +34 93 581 46 37, Fax : + 34 93 581 20 06