Shaping Future-Proof Veterinary Graduates in the Philippines

Focus Forward Workshop to Help Align UPCVM Curriculum with WOAH Standards

Authors: Dr Armando E. Hoet, Dr Amanda Berrian, Dr Jim Ferrara, Dr Alice Matos, Matt Pugh, Dr Michelle Grace V. Paraso, Dr Jovencio Hubert A. Abalos, Dr Emmanuel P. Hernandez, Dr Fletcher P. Del Valle, Dr Mark Joseph M. Desamero

To ensure that future Filipino veterinarians are globally competent and responsive to emerging animal and public health challenges, the University of the Philippines Los Baños College of Veterinary Medicine (UPCVM) conducted a Focus Forward Workshop [1] to align its Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) curriculum with the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) Day-1 Competencies and core curriculum standards.

As part of ongoing efforts to strengthen veterinary education in South East Asia, UPCVM and The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine (OSU CVM) hosted a two-day Focus Forward Workshop last year in Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines. The primary purpose of this event was to develop a three-year action plan to help harmonise the UPCVM curriculum with the WOAH Day-1 Competencies. Participants included faculty members, recent graduates, current students and external stakeholders, representing local and national government agencies as well as the private sector. In particular, the event brought together participants from the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC), and the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) of the Department of Agriculture; municipal and city veterinarians from local government units; representatives from key companies like Boehringer Ingelheim and Charoen Pokphand Foods Philippines; private veterinary clinics and professional collegial organisations. This workshop represents the latest phase of the ‘Assessment and Implementation of Day-1 Competencies’ (AID-1C) model – a methodology developed during the WOAH Twinning program to systematically evaluate and harmonise veterinary curricula with WOAH Day-1 Competencies [2].

Building veterinary workforce capacity through WOAH Day-1 Competencies

Building a veterinary workforce with the capacity to respond to transboundary and emerging infectious diseases is a focus area of the WOAH Day-1 Competencies critical to global health security. The 2023 WOAH Panorama Bulletin detailed the first two steps of the AID-1C process for UPCVM: ‘Assessment of the proficiency of the VEE’s graduates in Day-1 Competencies using a structured Evaluation Tool’ and ‘A systematic curricular review and evaluation’ [3]. These initial phases critically examined the current curriculum against WOAH’s standards, and a technical report was produced to identify gaps [2]. The AID-1C model’s goal is to ensure that veterinary graduates possess the competencies, deemed essential by WOAH, to contribute effectively to both animal and public health sectors as entry-level professionals within national Veterinary Services. For UPCVM, benchmarking its curriculum against WOAH standards for Day-1 Competencies ensures that its graduates are well prepared not only for the national veterinary workforce but also for international practice and mobility, in alignment with its vision and mission.

A Forward-Looking Approach for Action Plan Development for Curriculum Improvement  

The Focus Forward (FF) methodology is designed to help veterinary educational establishments develop customised action plans to improve the veterinary curriculum. [1] The FF methodology uses a structured two-day workshop to foster collaborative problem-solving and solution prioritisation by multiple internal and external stakeholders. The first day of this event is concentrated on presenting the identified gaps regarding Day-1 Competencies in the current veterinary curriculum as determined by previously conducted assessments and evaluations, e.g. AID-1C Evaluation Tool, graduate exit surveys, and other feedback mechanisms. Participants worked in mixed groups to analyse the root causes of these deficiencies and brainstorm practical, innovative solutions tailored to the local context and the institutional realities of the veterinary educational establishment (VEE), which will implement the action plan. The second day is focused on prioritisation and strategic planning. Attendees vote in real-time on the most critical or innovative solutions identified the previous day. This transparent and collective approach to identifying the most successful and sustainable solutions, taking into account local circumstances, contributes to the collaborative development of an action plan that will help UPCVM implement curriculum improvements aligned with WOAH Day-1 Competencies.

Shaping Action Through Stakeholder Input

One of the key strengths of the Focus Forward approach lies in its collaborative and participatory design. By bringing together a diverse group of stakeholders – recent graduates, current students and faculty, local government representatives, national agency officials and private sector leaders – the workshop ensures that proposed solutions addressed real-world needs and expectations for veterinary services across the Philippines.

One participant stated in the post-event evaluation, ‘I really appreciate that this workshop included faculty, stakeholders, students and other involved individuals! It recognised the importance of connections and collaborations within the veterinary community’. This inclusive process not only validates stakeholder perspectives but also builds shared ownership early on, which is essential for successful implementation.

Toward Action and Impact  

The workshop addressed a broad set of challenges ranging from curriculum content and practical training to resource constraints, and graduate professional readiness. Key gaps included insufficient exposure to regulatory frameworks, limited teaching capacity on transboundary, zoonotic and foodborne diseases, inadequate laboratory training opportunities, limited experience in rural practice settings, and low awareness of diverse career pathways.

Participants generated more than 150 possible solutions, with 90 prioritised for strategic planning. Each solution was refined to define preliminary activities, implementation teams, timelines and expected outputs, creating a structured pathway from ideas to measurable results.

Examples of planned activities over the next three years include:

• Expanding training opportunities through partnerships with the public and private sector, enabling students and faculty to access field sites, laboratories, farms and technical expertise that the college cannot provide on its own.
• Co-developing hands-on exercises (e.g. case studies, tabletop exercises) with public and private partners to increase practical application of knowledge and skills in outbreak investigation and response.
• Inviting external experts, from government, industry and specialty colleges to teach topics where faculty experience and expertise are limited and to raise awareness on careers in veterinary medicine.

These initiatives highlight how collaboration, and particularly public-private partnerships, will be central to implementing the action plan. By exchanging resources, expertise and training opportunities, partners can accelerate improvements in both teaching quality and day-1 readiness. Importantly, the workshop itself served as the first step in building this multistakeholder buy‑in, creating momentum for implementation. UPCVM is already preparing to launch the action plan, supported by strong commitment from both the institution and external partners in both the government and the private sector.

Expanding Regional Impact

As a designated ‘hub’ institution for the AID-1C methodology in the region, UPCVM’s technical team plans to support its implementation throughout South East Asian veterinary schools over the coming years, beginning with other veterinary colleges in the Philippines.  Strengthening curriculum implementation in the region, particularly with a focus on Day‑1 Competencies, is a critical component of capacity building and supports South East Asia’s broader efforts to modernise veterinary education. This investment supports the Veterinary Services, which are essential for protecting global health and enabling safe international trade.

Learn More: For more information on the Focus Forward methodology and previous workshops conducted across Asia and Africa, read the original WOAH Panorama article: Strengthening Veterinary Education to Safeguard Animal and Public Health 

---

References

1. Hoet, A. E., Matos, A., Carderón, A., Rodríguez, C. M. (2026) From data to action – the Focus Forward methodology: a participatory, multistakeholder approach for solution prioritization and action plan development. Frontiers in education, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2025.1667571

2. Hoet, A. E., Swisher, S., Berrian, A. M., Bessler, A. L., & Grozdic, I. (2024). Assessment and Implementation of WOAH Day 1 Competencies (AID-1C): a cyclical methodology for curriculum harmonization with international standards. Frontiers in veterinary science, 11, 1390779. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2024.1390779

3. Swisher, S., Bessler, A., Kalley, A., Grozdic, I., Berrian, A., & Hoet, A. E. (2023, February 22). The assessment and implementation of Day-1 competencies (AID-1C) in veterinary education: A scalable and repeatable methodology. WOAH Bulletin – Panorama. World Organisation for Animal Health. Retrieved March 2026, from https://bulletin.woah.org/?panorama=04-2-2-2023-1_aid-1c