Preparing for the threat of a pandemic: a Canadian student's perspective

Emerging infectious diseases, such as a pandemic influenza outbreak, pose a threat to humans and economies worldwide. A novel course at Shantou University's Medical College in China has provided me and nine other Canadian students with a unique opportunity to learn with experts in infectious disease. We are taught in a small group setting and our lecture material is supplemented with hands-on experience in the laboratory. Being placed in China offers us a distinct perspective on culture and social factors and their role in disease transmission mechanisms. This training course has offered me and the other students a deeper understanding of infectious disease in general and is likely to be an experience that we will carry with us in our future careers. This program is a step in a positive direction towards promoting interest in this field of scientific study in Canada.