Focus Area – Pathology

The pathology focus area allows the student extra time to prepare for one of two specialty areas: clinical pathology and anatomic pathology. These career paths require advanced training (residency) and board certification.

Focus Area Advisors

Steps to pursue a focus in veterinary pathology

1. Identify an advisor in the pathology group
2. Join “PathHeads”, the student pathology club (Dr. Meritet advisor)
3. Outline the selectives you would like to take and discuss with advisor
4. Identify other areas of interest you would like to be involved in (Research at CVM, research at RTP/adjacent universities, diagnostic experiences, pathology specialties, etc.) and/or see a part-time job in NCSU pathology (Clinical pathology laboratory student technician, anatomic pathology [necropsy/histology] laboratory student technician)
5. Try to attend gross rounds (9:15-10:15 on Fridays in autopsy theater)
6. Take core pathology rotations (VMP 977 and VMP 978) in clinical year
7. Take additional clinical year rotations in anatomic or clinical pathology (Advanced Topics in Anatomic Pathology rotation VMP 975 and/or Advanced Topics in Clinical Pathology VMP 988)
8. Take pathology related externships in clinical year (VMP 944; aim for at least one rotation of pathology related externship)

Year 1-3 Requirements

• No required selectives or electives
• Recommended Selectives
  • Fundamentals, recommended to be taken in first year
    • Necropsy pathology
    • Surgical pathology
  • Specialties in Pathology
    • Advanced clinical pathology
    • Non-domestic animal pathology
    • Diagnostic cytology
    • Advanced clinical parasitology for large animals
    • Specialized organ histology
    • Diseases of marine organisms
  • Advanced Diagnostic Techniques
    • PSCR diag of bact disease
  • Research Pathology
    • Special topics in pathology (research pathology)
    • Swine health management

Year 4 Requirements

To see course descriptions, visit the Clinical Year Course Catalog page.

REQUIRED Rotations

• VMB 976: Radiology
• VMB 977: Anesthesia
• VMP 977: Necropsy
• VMP 978: Clinical Pathology & Lab Med (* if not taken as 3rd-year Selective)
• VMC 979: Equine Medicine
• VMC 980: Medical Oncology
• VMC 971: Medicine/Small Animal [2 consecutive blocks]
• VMP 970: Ruminant Health Management I
• VMC 939: Small Animal Primary Care

CHOOSE TWO Pathology Rotations (two rotations, any combination)

• VMP 975: Adv. Topics in Anatomic Pathology (Instructor Approval)
• VMP 988: Adv. Topics in Clinical Pathology (Instructor Approval)
• VMP 994: Extramural Experiences – Pathology

CHOOSE ONE Surgery Rotation

• VMC 975: Equine Surgery
• VMC 968: Equine Orthopedics
• VMC 973G: Small Animal Surgery
• VMC 973O: Small Animal Orthopedics OR VMC 994O: Extramural Experiences – Small Animal Orthopedics

CHOOSE ONE Emergency Rotation

• VMC 960: Small Animal Emergency
• VMC 966: Equine Emergency

CHOOSE TWO Rotations

• VMC 972: Cardiology
• VMC 983: Dermatology
• VMC 988: Exotic Animal Medicine
• VMC 981: Lab Animal Medicine
• VMC 984: Neurology
• VMC 982A: Ophthalmology
• VMP 996: Ruminant Medicine & Surgery
• VMC 967: Veterinary Dentistry

Other experiences

Conferences

• American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD) meeting – https://www.aavld.org/
• American College of Veterinary Pathologists (ACVP) meeting – https://www.acvp.org/
• Society of Toxicologic Pathology (STP)  meeting – https://www.toxpath.org/index.asp
• Southeastern Veterinary Pathology Conference (SEVPAC)
• Northeastern Veterinary Pathology Conference (NEVPC)

Rounds/Seminars

• Gross rounds: Fridays from 9:15-10:15 in autopsy amphitheater
• Histology-Cytology correlates: Fourth Tuesday of the month

Extracurricular activities

• Pathheads: Student pathology club; Dr. Meritet is advisor

Employment Opportunities/Externships/Funding

• ACVP externship scholarship program: https://www.acvp.org/page/Intern_Extern_Opport
• Ask faculty, residents, and senior students for recommendations
• CVM Summer Research Interns (Mentors: Drs. Luff, Gruber, Mochizuki)
• Visit the ACVP externship center: https://www.acvp.org/page/Intern_Extern_Opport
• Student tech positions:

• Clinical Pathology Student Tech position
• Anatomic Pathology (Histology/Autopsy) Student Tech Position

Other Useful Information

• Follow “student_chapters_acvp” on Instagram
• Follow “Student Chapters of ACVP” on Facebook
• ACVP: https://www.acvp.org/
• ASVCP: https://www.asvcp.org/
• Davis-Thompson Foundation: https://davisthompsonfoundation.org/
• The Joint Pathology Center: https://www.askjpc.org/vspo/

Recommended Journals to Review

• Veterinary Clinical Pathology
• Veterinary Pathology 
• Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation
• Journal of Comparative Pathology
• Toxicologic Pathology 
• Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (Pathology in Practice)

Recent/Current Number of Pathology Focused Students

Class 2013: 5
Class 2014: 1
Class 2015: 3
Class 2016: 3
Class 2017: 5
Class 2018: 3
Class 2019: 1
Class 2020: 3
Class 2021: 3
Class 2022: 3

Class 2023: 1
Class 2024: 5 declared to date
Class 2025: 0 declared to date
Class 2026: 0 declared to date