Lab Animal Medicine

[DocDVMD]

I know there have been threads about this in the past, but they're all outdated, so...

I'm looking for more information about programs in lab animal medicine. I know Tufts has a joint DVM/MS in LAM program, which is awesome, and I was wondering if any other schools had similar programs? I've done some research myself and didn't find much information. I also am having trouble finding information on good residencies for going into LAM. If anybody knows of any information or can point me in the right direction, I'd appreciate it! Thanks.

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[brwnIdprevetgal]

Here is a link for the program at the University of Michigan:

http://www.ulam.umich.edu/academic/index.html

I am an undergrad at U of M and I have met some of the residents as well as some of the faculty. They are all really great. They are willing to let students shadow the vets for a day and will answer all of your questions about the program. Contact, Dr. Melissa Dyson for more information about shadowing. I have done it and I highly recommend it!
My dream is to become a vet and be able to do my residency at U of M for Lab Animal Medicine.
Feel free to contact me privately if you want to know more information about the program.

 

[DocDVMD]

Thanks! That's definitely a very helpful website. I also found this:

http://www.aclam.org

Which has tons of information and guidelines to follow.

 

[chris03333]

I know there have been threads about this in the past, but they're all outdated, so...

I'm looking for more information about programs in lab animal medicine. I know Tufts has a joint DVM/MS in LAM program, which is awesome, and I was wondering if any other schools had similar programs? I've done some research myself and didn't find much information. I also am having trouble finding information on good residencies for going into LAM. If anybody knows of any information or can point me in the right direction, I'd appreciate it! Thanks.

http://www.aslap.org/career.php
http://www.aclam.org/education/training/index.html

Feel free to PM me for more info

 

[primatevetjess]

Yay, another pre-vet interested in lab animal medicine

I've had some of the same issues you have in finding programs, but here's a great list: http://www.aslap.org/OnePage.php. You can click on each one and it will take you to a pretty in-depth description of the program.

 

[DocDVMD]

That's a great link, thanks. It just sucks there isn't much we can do to get involved until the summer after 1st year of vet school! I can't wait

Also, it looks like it doesn't matter much which vet school you go to, it's mostly where you end up for your residency in the end. Thoughts?

 

[chris03333]

Also, it looks like it doesn't matter much which vet school you go to, it's mostly where you end up for your residency in the end. Thoughts?

That sums it up quite accurately.

 

[brwnIdprevetgal]

I have heard that it does not matter where you go, but it matters how well you do. Also, some of the vets at U of M suggest working in private practice before doing a residency. They felt that you gain valuable experience that you can apply in the program.

 

[No Imagination]

well, Assuming you can pass the test, is the any difference between taking a residency (as opposed to working (5 years full time?)) as a LAV?

As I understand it, you can become Board Eligible by working 5 years full time and at least 1 (non clinical) publication. I know the test has a very high failure rate (something like 70 - 80%), but would not doing a residency hurt you after you became boarded?

Also, the publication. Do you HAVE to be a vet when you get it? Can you have a few first names as a vet student - if you were involved in the animal work?

 

[brwnIdprevetgal]

The way I understand it is that you can become board eligible by working as a LAV and publishing. You then have to take the board exam. Or you can do the residency program, which is typically 3 years and again you have to publish. Basically, the first way is on-the-job training. You may or may not have vets working above you/ w/ you that will be able to teach you things. You will have to do most of the learning on your own. The way one of the LAVs at U of M explained it was that you will be expected to already know things and not receive any formal training. The residency allows you to work with other LAVs and receive formal training. You don't have to hit-the-ground running. Not sure if that really clears it up...

 

[DocDVMD]

Wow that's a high failure rate Perhaps due to not as many people doing residencies before taking the exam? From looking around it seems like many of the available jobs in LAM require board certification. I would assume that a benefit of being boarded is the possibility to attain higher-paying jobs.

 

[No Imagination]

Yeah, there is certainly main advantages to Board cert. More jobs, better jobs, better paying jobs.

I'm curious however, do you think there is a difference between a Board Cert. LAV who did vs. did not do the residency.

As for the low pass rate, i'm not sure where I got that from, it may have been from Chris, or perhaps one of the sites he linked me a while back.

 

[chris03333]

As for the low pass rate, i'm not sure where I got that from, it may have been from Chris, or perhaps one of the sites he linked me a while back.

yes she did tell you that. She also said it is the same with path boards.

 

[No Imagination]

yes she...

My apologies

 

[chris03333]

My apologies

No worries I have been called worse.

 

[No Imagination]

It's funny that I slipped like that to be honest. Before my interview, I practiced long and hard to use non-gender personal-pronouns when talking in the third person. It is however the default for me when I A) Do not know the sex of the person I am referring to, and B) what talking about a hypothetical situation.

It may be a subconscious issue – The main vets I worked for have always been male (sure that will change soon), so mentally when I picture or think of a veterinarian I picture the vet(s) I worked for.

While I certainly do not consider myself a sexist person, like it or not, if my father died instantly in car accident, and I needed immediate surgery – I'd be **** out of luck…

 

[critterologist]

If you are anxious for experience in lab animal work before the summer of your first year, you might consider looking at local biotech companies (if there are any in your area), especially small ones that do some of that sort of work. The company that I work at does a fair bit of mouse work, and I know that in the past we have taken summer "interns" to learn about research. Most of the people that I work with don't much like the animal work itself, and would are happy to have an interested student who wanted to learn and do some of that work. My company is so tiny that we don't have a vet on staff, just an on-call one, but I think most slightly bigger biotechs have their own vets who are probably pretty happy to introduce new people to the field.

 

[twelvetigers]

While I certainly do not consider myself a sexist person, like it or not, if my father died instantly in car accident, and I needed immediate surgery – I'd be **** out of luck…

If you don't understand this, you can look here to see what she's talking about.

 

[THEOSU2012]

Hey,

Just to get to the topic of the original post.

Here at THE OSU, we have a pretty good lab animal group and its called University Lab Animal Resources (ULAR). I worked for them a summer ago, and the veterinarians are awesome. So here at OSU we have two board certified lab animal practitioners, two veterinarians who are getting ready to take their boards, and then three veterinarians in the residency program. So they are very active.

Plus, I know that you get a TON of hands on opportunities because we have a lot of research going on. It ranges from mice and rats, to pigs, sheep, dogs, and primates. There are something like nine vivariums across campus and the veterinarians of ULAR are responsible for all of these animals, and this includes all of the large animals on study across the campus. So even if you want to do dairy cattle you can still do that here.

They are also really great on giving experience. I know they have an externship opportunity for second years which is really great. I worked for their surgery section and they are really awesome, and I got to do procedures and learn techniques that some of the third year's in my school haven't done yet.

So it isn't that hard to get experience if you know where to look. I personally don't really want to do lab animal medicine, but I loved working there and I got soooo much more experience than if I worked in a regular clinic. Plus because they have the medical school right across the street, some of the research is AMAZING!!

They even have one of those robotic surgeons that they use to teach human doctors. Very cool, place to work, and I know the veterinarians there get awesome experience.

Just my $0.02.