In February 2026, a group from the School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM) returned to Hyderabad, India, to deliver the fourth installment of the TEACH (Training in Emergency Animal Care and Handling) program for veterinarians with EMRI Green Health Services (India’s largest provider of pre-hospital medical services, serving more than 800 million people through its emergency response system).
The visit continued a growing international collaboration focused on strengthening veterinary clinical skills through a train-the-veterinary-trainer program, advancing One Health awareness and expanding global educational partnerships. Representatives from the UW Vet Med team included Ryan Breuer (DVM’12, Dept. of Medical Sciences), Alex Powers (DVM’17, Dept. of Medical Sciences), Katie Harmelink, CVT (lead instructional specialist), and Lacey Goetz, CVT (instructional specialist), along with alumnae Jane Renee ‘J.R.’ Lund (MS’07 DVM’07) and Melissa Beyer (DVM’13).
The TEACH program builds on a longstanding collaboration between UW–Madison and EMRI, originally developed through the work of Ann Evensen, professor in Family Medicine and Community Health, who partnered with EMRI to provide Basic and Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics (BLSO and ALSO®) training to physicians and emergency medical technicians. Inspired by this successful model, SVM faculty developed TEACH to provide similar structured training for veterinarians.
The trip began with a day-long workshop for Indian government veterinarians emphasizing the importance of maximizing physical examinations in bovine and other large animal species, highlighting practical diagnostic approaches that can be used in both field and clinical settings. The workshop also included a One Health lecture discussing Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in cattle in the United States, exploring emerging disease threats, and the importance of coordinated animal and public health responses. Participants also received hands-on instruction in thoracic and abdominal ultrasound techniques for large animals.
During the four-day training program, participants completed hands-on clinical skills training, including physical examination techniques, suturing practice, and bandaging and casting procedures. Participants demonstrated their competency through a structured clinical assessment in which learners rotate through stations to demonstrate specific practical skills under direct observation and evaluation.
Additionally, Keith Poulsen (’00 DVM’04 PhD’12; Dept. of Medical Sciences; Director, Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory), delivered a One Health lecture on HPAI, and Emeritus Professor Christopher Olsen (Dept. of Pathobiological Sciences) discussed rabies and leptospirosis, two globally significant zoonotic diseases important to India.
The partnership exemplifies the principle and the reach of the Wisconsin Idea — that education should influence people’s lives beyond the boundaries of the classroom.