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College of Veterinary Medicine

Focus Area – Zoological Medicine

Zoological Medicine is the broad term used to encompass the practice of medicine and surgery in nontraditional species. It includes a number of different areas, including exotic animal private practice, aquatic animal medicine, wildlife medicine, and zoo practice. Zoological Medicine (ZM) combines many elements of veterinary medicine, including preventative medicine, clinical medicine and surgery, pathology, clinical ecology, regulatory compliance, facilities and personnel management, and research.

Zoological Medicine veterinarians find work in private practice, government agencies, non-government organizations (NGO’s), academia, and even industry, and have responsibilities for a wide variety of species. ZM veterinarians can enter the field through several routes. Veterinarians offering clinical management of privately owned zoological species or for smaller zoological institutions may enter practice directly after DVM training. Specialists seeking to serve major zoological institutions, government agencies, large NGO’s or academia typically receive post-DVM education, either in an internship/residency format and/or research training in MS or PhD programs.

Board Certification is available in Zoological Medicine through the American College of Zoological Medicine (ACZM). For individuals preparing for private practice options that emphasize avian, reptile and amphibian, or exotic mammal medicine, Board Certification is also available through the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners in those species defined specialities. Residency training positions can be very competitive and, therefore, good planning and preparation is important during the vet school years.

Zoological Medicine is a sufficiently broad career path that veterinary students should be careful to avoid too much specialization; it is arguably the ultimate mixed animal practice. Animal handling of a variety of species, clinical skills, and pathology are all important. Research, both basic and clinical, is an important component of Zoological Medicine.

Focus Area Leader & Advisor

MS
Michael Stoskopf
Michael Stoskopf

Professor Emeritus

252-222-6370
TH
Tara Harrison
Tara Harrison

Assoc Professor

Additional Advisors

JB
Julie Balko
Julie Balko

Assoc Professor

CH
Craig Harms
Craig Harms

Professor

252-222-6339
GL
Greg Lewbart
Gregory Lewbart

Professor

919-513-6439
OP
Olivia Petritz
Olivia Petritz

Assoc Professor

Year 1-3 Requirements

  • Minimum of two required electives from the list below
    • CBS 817 – Adv Topics in Zoo Med I (2.00) (repeatable)
    • CBS 818 – Adv Topics in Zoo Med II (2.00) (repeatable)
    • VMC 921 – Sp Topics in Zoo Med (1-3)
    • VMC 923 – Research in Zoo Health (1-4)
    • VMC 924 – Equatorial Zoology and Medicine in Galapagos (1.00)
    • VMC 928 – Wild Reptile Med (1)
    • VMC 929 – Topics in Wild and Managed Carnivore Medicine and Management (1.0)
    • VMP 986 – One Health (2)
    • FW 730 – Ethics in Fisheries (2.00)
  • Recommended Selectives
    • Adv Carnivore Medicine
    • Adv Fish Medicine
    • Adv. Companion Avian Medicine
    • Advanced Ferret Medicine
    • Advanced Herptile Medicine
    • Avian Anatomy and Physiology
    • Diseases of Marine Organisms
    • Experiences in Aquaculture
    • Global Health Challenges
    • Pathology of Wildlife & Zoo Species
    • Honey Bee Medicine
    • Invertebrate Medicine
    • Lab Animal Medicine
    • Marine Mammal
    • Primate Medicine
    • Primates in the Wild
    • Raptor Medicine and Rehab
    • Sm Mammal Med and Surg
    • Veterinary Illustration

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 971: Medicine/Small Animal [2 consecutive blocks]

CHOOSE ONE Small Animal Surgery Rotation

  • 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 ONE Equine Care Rotation

  • VMC 979: Equine Medicine
  • VMC 975: Equine Surgery

CHOOSE ONE Primary Care Rotation

  • VMC 939: Small Animal Primary Care
  • VMC 989: Zoological Medicine (NC Zoo) [2 consecutive blocks]
  • VMC 998: Basic Wildlife Rehab

CHOOSE TWO Food Animal Rotations

  • VMP 979: Epidemiology
  • VMP 973: Special Topics in Epidemiology (Instructor Approval)
  • VMP 983: Poultry Health Management II (Instructor Approval)
  • VMP 970: Ruminant Health Management I
  • VMP 972: Ruminant Health Management II (Instructor Approval)
  • VMP 996: Ruminant Medicine & Surgery
  • VMP 987: Ruminant Special Topics (Instructor Approval)
  • VMP 984: Swine Medicine I
  • VMP 985: Swine Medicine II (Instructor Approval)
  • VMC 940: Theriogenology
  • VMC 941: Special Topics in Theriogenology (Instructor Approval)

CHOOSE THREE Zoo Rotations *(Only TWO courses at the Zoo can count; Adv. Primate counts as two)

  • VMC 959: Adv. Primate Med [2 consecutive blocks] 
  • VMC 958: Adv. Prosimian
  • VMC 987: Aquatic Medicine
  • VMC 998: Basic Wildlife Rehab 
  • VMC 988: Exotic Animal Medicine
  • VMC 996: Adv. Exotic Animal Medicine
  • VMC 950: Sea Turtle
  • VMC 964: Zoological Medicine (Zoos/Aquariums) [1 block]
  • VMC 989: Zoological Medicine (NC Zoo) [2 consecutive blocks]

DVM Thesis Option

This is an option for students seeking to distinguish themselves and not in any way a requirement for the Zoological Medicine Focus. Students interested in pursuing some types of career in Zoological Medicine can benefit considerably from choosing to do a DVM thesis. This is entirely optional. It provides the opportunity to select a project and investigate the topic in depth throughout the time spent in the veterinary curriculum and prepare a paper for peer reviewed publication. Students desiring this option should talk with their faculty mentor as soon as they are aware of their interest in pursuing the option, and no later than the last week of their second year. DVM Theses are research based and should deal with some aspect of zoological medicine. Students will be expected to demonstrating their familiarity with the published literature pertaining to their thesis topic, and provide some original contribution to our understanding of the topic.  The thesis material will be suitable for peer reviewed publication, and the student will be encouraged to publish. Students selecting this optional thesis opportunity will select a thesis professor from the zoological medicine faculty to advise them and may be encouraged to add other advisors depending on the project. The major professor does not have to be the student’s faculty mentor, nor does the faculty mentor have to sit on the committee, though this is possible if appropriate. The student will outline their intended topic and direction and work with their faculty to develop the thesis project.

Other Experiences

Employment Opportunities/Externships/Funding

  • CVM Summer Research Interns – Dr. Meurs
  • Foundation Research Grants (Hitchings, Dodge, Morris, etc.)
  • Externship Opportunities
  • See listings posted by WAAZM
  • Ask faculty for recommendations
  • Ask senior students for recommendations

Conferences

Students may benefit from attending a zoological medicine conference. Annual meetings to consider include the following. Check websites at end for home pages of these organizations, which have latest information on upcoming meetings.

  • Annual Meeting of the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians (5-day meeting in October or November)
  • International Association for Aquatic Animal Medicine (5-day meeting in April or May)
  • Wildlife Disease Association (5-day meeting in July or August)
  • Association of Avian Veterinarians (4-day meeting in early to mid August, location varies)
  • North American Veterinary Conference (6 day meeting in January, Orlando, FL)
  • Western Veterinary Conference (6 day meeting in February, Las Vegas, NV)

Extracurricular Activities

  • WAAZM Club (Wildlife, Avian, Aquatic and Zoo Medicine Club)
  • Invertebrate Medicine Club
  • Fall Bear Project
  • Raptor Labs
  • Crissey Zoological Nutrition Symposium
  • Turtle Rescue Team
  • Wild Carnivore Team
  • ZTAU Design Team
  • Marine Animal Health Assessments
  • Aquatics Team
  • Zoo Veterinary Day Camps

Other Useful Information

Recommended Journals

  • Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine
  • Journal of Wildlife Disease
  • Journal of Reptile Medicine and Surgery
  • Journal of Avian Medicine and Surgery
  • Diseases of Aquatic Organisms
  • Journal of Marine Mammal Science

Recommended Memberships

There are many organizations available to join. It is not important to join them all, but if you are interested in a particular area of zoological medicine it would behoove you to join the main organizations related to your area of interest. It is a good way to know what is going on and often offers opportunities to meet people and make contacts. For example, if you think you want to work with free-ranging wildlife, it would be good to belong to the WDA. If you have an interest in aquatic medicine, it would be good to belong to the IAAAM, etc. Student memberships at very good rates are available from most of these organizations.

  • International Association for Aquatic Animal Medicine (IAAAM )
  • American Fisheries Society (AFS)
  • American Association of Zoo Veterinarians (AAZV )
  • Wildlife Disease Association (WDA)
  • American Association of Wildlife Veterinarians (AAWV)
  • Association of Avian Veterinarians (AAV)
  • Association of Amphibian and Reptile Veterinarians (AARV)
  • American Association of Wildlife Rehabilitators (AAWR)

Recommended Electronic Mailing List

  • WDIN WILDLIFE DISEASE NEWS DIGEST  to enroll email wdin@usgs.gov

Useful Internet Sites

Recent/Current Number of Zoological Medicine Focused Students

  • Class 2013: 4
  • Class 2014: 6
  • Class 2015: 3
  • Class 2016: 7
  • Class 2017: 8
  • Class 2018: 9
  • Class 2019: 11
  • Class 2020: 10
  • Class 2021: 9
  • Class 2022: 12
  • Class 2023: 11
  • Class 2024: 0 declared to date