Focus Area – Pathology

This 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 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”; student pathology club; Drs. Law and Borst advisors
3. Outline selectives you would like to take; discuss with your advisor
4. Identify other areas of interest that you would like to be involved with  (Research at CVM , Research in RTP and adjacent Universities,  Diagnostic experiences,  Career opportunities in Pathology, DVM/PhD program)
5. Try to attend gross rounds and clinical pathology rounds
6. Take several summer externships
7. Take core rotations in senior year
8. Additional 4th year rotations in anatomic or clinical pathology
9. Take several externships in the 4th year.

Year 1-3 Courses

Required

There are no required courses during the first three years.

Recommended

Fundamentals: Recommended to be Taken in First Year

• Necropsy pathology – Tokarz
• Surgical pathology – Luff

Specialties in Pathology

• Non Domestic Animal Pathology – Cullen
• International diseases – Cowen
• Diagnostic cytology – Stowe
• Advanced clinical parasitology for large animals – Levy

Advanced Diagnostic Techniques

• PCR diag of bact disease – Dr. Megan Jacob
• Diagnosis of viral diseases – Guy

Research Pathology

• Special topics in pathology (research pathology) – Law

Others Related to Pathology

• Histologic techniques – Khosla
• Swine health management – Almond

Year 4 Required Rotations

Core Senior Clinical Rotations

• VMB 976 Radiology
• VMB 977 Anesthesia
• VMP 977: Autopsy/Clinical Pharmacology
• VMP 978: Clinical Pathology
• VMC 971 Small Animal Medicine (2-blocks consecutive)
• VMC 979 Equine Medicine
• VMP 970 Ruminant Health Management I
• VMC 980 Oncology
• VMC 939 Small Animal Primary Care

Two Rotations From the Following Group

• VMP 975 Advanced Anatomic Pathology
• VMP 994 Extramural Studies/Pathology – All Extramural Rotations (in 4th year) – maximum of 6 credits (3 rotations) total

One Rotation From the Following Group

• VMC 973G Small Animal Gen. Surgery
• VMC 973O Small Animal Orthopedic Surgery

One Rotation From the Following Group

• VMC 960 Small Animal Emergency
• VMC 966 Equine Emergency

Two Rotations From the Following Group

• VMC 981 Laboratory Animal Medicine
• VMP 982 Poultry Health Management I
• VMP 984 Swine Medicine I
• VMC 972 Cardiology
• VMC 982 Ophthalmology
• VMC 983 Dermatology
• VMC 984 Neurology

Other Experiences

Hospital Rounds / Seminar Series @ CVM

These are “opportunities” at the CVM. Some of these will be over your head (and that is OK) so review them with your advisor, decide which ones may be worth attending and give them a try; adjust your schedule and goals with your advisor.

• Surgical pathology – Friday histo conf 7:45-9 AM – Dr. Law
• Gross Pathology Rounds – Wednesdays @12:15 – 1:30 PM
• Clinical Pathology – Fridays 12-1PM – Dr. Grindem
• Zoological Medicine – Thurs 3:45-5PM – Dr. Stoskopf
• House Officer Seminar Series – Thurs @ 8-9AM
• MBS and PHP Departmental Faculty Seminars – check on schedule
• Microbiology Seminar Series – Weekly, Mondays @ 4-5PM

Histopathology Rounds

(space limited @ 10-headed scope; must be pre-arranged)

• Ophthalmic pathology – 1st Mon of every month @ 8:15-9:15 AM – Dr. Davidson
• Dermatopathology – every thurs 12:00-1:00 PM – Dr. Linder, Dr. Olivry
• Neuropathology – monthly –
• Hepatic histopathology – Fridays @ 9-10 AM – Dr. John Cullen
• Avian pathology – monthly – Dr. John Barnes

Journal Clubs

• Oncology – Tues 7-8AM – Dr. Hauck
• Clinical pathology – Mon 12-1 PM – Dr. Grindem
• Immunology – Fri 9-10AM – Dr. Jonathan Fogle

Recommended Journals to Review

• Veterinary Clinical Pathology
• Veterinary Pathology
• JVIM
• Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Lab Medicine
• JAVMA

Extracurricular Activities

• Sat. morning necropsy volunteers – Dr. Law
• PATHHEADS Student Pathology Club – Drs. Law and Borst

Employment Opportunities/Externships/Funding

• Summer jobs – see Dr Law
• Go to web pages for – ACVP  <www.acvp.org/>, Pfizer

Toxicologic Pathology/Industry/Governmental

Opportunities in RTP area:

• GLAXO-SMITHKLINE – Drs. Rich Miller or Christine Merrill
• Experimental Pathology Labs
• CIIT
• EPA -Dr. Doug Wolf
• NIEHS – Drs. Dave Malarkey or Susan Elmore
• Wake Forest Univ – Dr. Mark Cline
• UNC – Dr. Virgina Godfrey

Diagnostic Path – Domestic/Exotic Animal

• Opportunities in RTP area:
• Rollins An. Dis. Diag. Lab – Drs. Steve Rushton, Allison Boone, and Allison Tucker.
• Antech Diag Lab – Dr. Pam Luther
• NCSU CLIN PATH tech – Drs. Grindem, Neel
• NC ZOO – Dr. Brigid Troan
• Duke Univ Primate Center

Funding/Externships (see also http://www.acvp.org)

• CVM – summer student / NCSU – Dr. Jody Gookin
• Charles Davis Stipend – https://www.acvp.org/
• ACVP stipend – Apply for in November prior to the summer or scholastic year. See ACVP web page.
• Many externships are available at other universities, pathology programs.
• Diagnostic Labs, Government labs, or private institutions.

Other Useful Information

• Pathology: https://www.acvp.org/
• Clinical Pathology: https://www.asvcp.org/

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: 0 declared to date