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 – Class of 2027

The clinical year is made up of 24 clinical rotation blocks. These blocks are a mix of Focus Area Requirements and Open Choice Blocks.

To see course descriptions, visit the Class of 2027:Clinical Year Course Catalog page.

FOCUS AREA REQUIREMENTS

REQUIRED Rotations

• VMB 976: Radiology
• VMB 977: Anesthesia
• VMP 977: Necropsy

CHOOSE ONE: Primary Care Rotation

• VMC 939: Small Animal Primary Care

CHOOSE ONE: Medicine Rotation

• VMC 979: Equine Medicine
• VMC 971: Medicine/Small Animal [2-block course]

CHOOSE ONE: Surgery Rotation

• VMC 975: Equine Surgery
• VMC 968: Equine Orthopedics
• VMC 973: Small Animal Surgery
• VMC 970: Small Animal Orthopedics

CHOOSE ONE: Emergency Rotation

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

CHOOSE ONE: Field Service Rotation

• VMC 966: Equine Emergency
• VMC 969: Intro to Equine Primary Care
• VMC 949: Equine Primary Care [2-block course]
• VMP 982: Poultry Health Management I
• VMP 970: Ruminant Primary Care
• VMP 984: Swine Medicine I
• VMP 969: TAU Field Service

Required Pathology Rotations

• VMP 975: Adv. Topics in Anatomic Pathology
• VMP 988: Adv. Topics in Clinical Pathology
• VMC 980: Medical Oncology

OPEN CHOICE BLOCKS

These are the remaining blocks to fill up your 24-block clinical-year schedule and can be used as Personal, Externship, or Elective rotations.

• Personal Blocks: students are allowed up to FOUR (4) Personal Blocks during their clinical year.
• Externships: students are allowed to take up to FOUR (4) Externship Blocks during their clinical year.
• Elective Rotations: courses that don’t count toward focus area requirements but still provide course credit. Students should consult the Clinical Year Course Catalog (linked above) to see the full list of course options.

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 2026: 2
• Class 2025: 0
• Class 2024: 6
• Class 2023: 1
• Class 2022: 3
• Class 2021: 3
• Class 2020: 3
• Class 2019: 1
• Class 2018: 3
• Class 2017: 5
• Class 2016: 3
• Class 2015: 3
• Class 2014: 1
• Class 2013: 5