"Microbiology Can Be... ": Student Competition to Develop Resources About Infectious Diseases That Improve Health Literacy.

The article focuses on a student competition developed at the University of Perugia to enhance veterinary students' communication skills and health literacy related to microbiology and infectious diseases. Organized over three academic years (2020–2023) within a small animal infectious diseases course, third-year veterinary students voluntarily formed groups to create educational materials—such as comics, videos, and games—aimed at making complex scientific concepts accessible to the public. The initiative aligns with the European Association of Establishments for Veterinary Education's emphasis on communication and teamwork as essential professional competencies and addresses the growing public health need to improve health literacy, especially highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic. The student-produced resources were published online to reach broader audiences, and the project demonstrated benefits in fostering creativity, collaboration, and science communication skills, while also identifying areas for improvement in group organization, dedicated time allocation, and evaluation methods for future iterations.