D.V.M./M.S. in Laboratory Animal Medicine

• Introduction
• Program
• Application Procedure
• Eligibility Criteria and Selection
• Tuition, Fees, and Financial Aid
• Student Advisory Committee
• Degree Requirements
• Curriculum
• Applied Learning Experiences
• Lottery System
• Program Faculty
• Career Opportunities
• Contact Us

Introduction

There is a need for veterinarians with clinical training and management skills to provide high quality veterinary care for research animals, to organize disease control programs for biomedical research facilities and to provide guidance in overall management of such facilities. Veterinary input is often required in design of research projects with regard to choice of species, choice of drugs, and training in surgical procedures. As the value of transgenic and disease model research animals continues to increase, both academic and commercial research facilities require expertise in these areas to manage laboratory animal colonies of varied species types to provide disease free animals for research.

Program

This program is designed to provide bright and highly motivated veterinary students with basic training in laboratory animal medicine and animal resource management in conjunction with their quality DVM training at Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. Students in the combined degree program earn an MS in Laboratory Animal Medicine in the same four years they earn a DVM. Our objective is to provide the biomedical research community with skilled veterinarians who can fulfill needed positions in research facilities immediately upon graduation. We recognize that graduates of this program may later wish to pursue residency training in the same field to become board-eligible. This program may provide some of the requirements for board eligibility, thus shortening the length of residency training required.

Application Procedure

Students apply to participate in this program by May 15 of their 1st year of veterinary school. Applicants are encouraged to suggest a mentor when applying. Applications for admission to the DVM/MS in Laboratory Animal Medicine are available in the Admissions Office, or from the Graduate Studies Manager, Monica McDonald Johnson, or the Program Director, Dr. Angeline Warner. A printable form of the application can also be downloaded (Download Application).

Eligibility Criteria and Selection

The eligibility criteria for potential students include the following:

• Students must have successfully completed the first semester of the DVM program and be full-time students
• Students must have successfully completed the spring selective, Animals in Biomedical Research and Research Animal Facilities, before being admitted into the program and be full-time students.
• Students must be citizens or non-citizen nationals of the United States or have been lawfully admitted for permanent residency.
• Students must be in good academic standing at TCSVM in order to be fully accepted into the program.

Up to six students are admitted each year to the DVM/MS program. Selection is based upon a number of criteria, including the following:

• Application, complete with required essays
• Letter of Evaluation
• Academic standing at the veterinary school (i.e., TCSVM transcript is required)
• Other information taken from original application for admission to TCSVM (i.e., transcripts and GRE scores)

Applicants are notified of admission to the program by June 15 in order to begin one of their summer Applied Learning Experiences.

Tuition, Fees, and Financial Aid

All students are charged tuition each semester for the first three years of the program. Tuition for the year is payable according to Tufts University guidelines. For a student enrolled in the program during the academic year 2005-2006, tuition is $6,863 ($3,431.50/semester). Please note that students who require an extension in order to complete their Master's requirements are charged tuition each semester until degree completion. All tuitions are subject to yearly increases.

Master's students are eligible for a yearly MS tuition waiver through a "Dr. Henry L. Foster Fellowship" or other support from laboratory animal and pharmaceutical industry sources. Since funds are limited, students must apply for this fellowship each year.

Student Advisory Committee

During the second year of the program, each student is assigned a mentor from among the TCSVM faculty. The student and mentor together propose a Student Advisory Committee (SAC) to be composed of the mentor, one or more TCSVM faculty members and at least one member from veterinary staff of laboratory animal medicine programs at industrial or academic facilities in the greater Boston/Worcester area. The names of the proposed SAC members and letters stating their willingness to serve on the committee is approved by the Program Director and the GSC by November 1 of the second year of study. A Chairperson (must be a TCSVM faculty member) is elected (majority vote) by the SAC at its first meeting. The SAC must meet during each academic semester with the student to evaluate progress and provide advice.

Degree Requirements

The Laboratory Animal Medicine program requires 24 didactic credits offered during selective and self study time during the entire first and second years, as well as the portion of third year leading up to rotations. There are 9 credits of clinical elective experience in the fourth year and 4 credits of summer experience during the first 2 summers. This program was developed especially for the combined degree, and the curriculum is tightly integrated with veterinary coursework.

Didactic Courses are taught by TCSVM faculty and by research animal facility veterinary staff, most of whom are American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine (ACLAM)-boarded, at Charles River Laboratories, Genzyme, Mass. General Hospital, Mass. Institute of Technology, Univ. of Mass. Medical School, New England Regional Primate Center, Tufts-New England Medical Center Hospitals (TNEMCH), and Harvard Medical School.

The academic program is closely integrated with the DVM curriculum, and there may be interest in selected topics from veterinary students who have not been formally enrolled in the DVM/MS program. Such students may audit one semester of the didactic program at no cost at any point in their veterinary program, schedule permitting.

Curriculum

Year 1:
VET 551 - Animals in Biomedical Research and Research Animal Facilities - 5 credits
VET 550 - Applied Learning Experience: Animal Facility Experience - 2 credits

Year 2:
VET 553 - Preventive Medicine in Research Animal Facilities - 4 credits
VET 557 - Specialized Research Environments - 5 credits
VET 554 - Applied Learning Experience: Research Experience - 2 credits

Year 3:
VET 555 - Laboratory Animal Medicine and Pathology - 4 credits
VET 556 - Surgery and Anesthesiology in Research Facilities - 2 credits

Year 3 and 4:
Clinical Electives - 9 credits

Course Descriptions

VET 551 - Animals in Biomedical Research and Research Animal Facilities - 5 credits
This selective is an introduction to the use of animals in biomedical research and the role of the laboratory animal veterinarian. In the first half of the course, presentations from experts in the field cover regulatory control of research animal use, the role of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, animal models in biomedical research, and ethical use of animals. A laboratory animal anatomy module includes three dissection labs devoted to anatomy of rodents, lagomorphs, hamsters, ferrets, and gerbils. The second half of the course is focused on care of research animals and design of research animal facilities. The class tours a barrier rodent housing facility, a rodent facility using robotic technology, and a primate facility.

Students are expected to attend all classes, labs, and tours. They are required to write one analysis paper on research animal ethical cases and to work in groups to create a design for a multi-species research animal facility. The class holds a mock Animal Care and Use Committee meeting. Same basic course as PhD course 657; spring

VET 553 - Preventive Medicine in Research Animal Facilities - 4 credits; fall
This course is designed to complement the second year of the veterinary curriculum which is mainly concerned with the pathophysiology of disease. This course focuses on viral, bacterial and parasitic pathogens of concern in the laboratory animal and research settings. Pathogens of importance to traditional laboratory animal species are covered with special emphasis on rodent diseases. In addition, diseases of concern to nontraditional laboratory animals such as swine, small ruminants, fish, amphibians, reptiles and birds are also discussed. The course also provides instruction in the diagnosis, treatment, control and prevention of disease in the laboratory animal facility. The development and implementation of health surveillance and preventative health programs in a laboratory animal setting is discussed including the use of sentinels for routine health monitoring of colonies. This course consists of didactic lectures, tours of laboratory animal facilities, case studies and interactive discussions.

VET 557 - Specialized Research Environments - 5 credits; spring
This course provides advanced instruction in topics relating to specialized environments which are of particular concern to the laboratory animal veterinarian. The course is primarily composed of didactic sessions presented by specialists in the field and addresses a variety of broad topics.

Biosafety in the laboratory animal facility is discussed with emphasis on zoonotic diseases, occupational health and safety programs, and biocontainment facility design and operation. Other subject matter includes: animal model development with emphasis placed on mouse genetics and nomenclature; behavioral studies including rodent and primate methodologies; statistics and experimental design; and radiation use including irradiation methods, as well as imaging technologies such as ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT). The course consists of didactic lectures, case studies, and facility tours which are designed to integrate the material discussed in lectures.

VET 555 - Laboratory Animal Medicine and Pathology - 4 credits; fall
This course is designed to complement the third year of the veterinary curriculum which integrates the pathophysiological aspects of disease with a comprehensive discussion of the presenting clinical signs, diagnostic criteria, and the treatment of these entities. The lectures provided in this course are designed to provide students with a sound basis in clinical laboratory animal medicine with emphasis on diagnosis, prognosis, and management. In addition to didactic sessions, there are several practical handling laboratories involving rodents, reptiles, fish, amphibians and birds. These laboratories provide an opportunity for the students to learn appropriate restraint and handling techniques as well as practice common procedures such as injections, oral administration of compounds, catheter placement and blood collection, and review clinically relevant anatomical features. Diagnostic methods including appropriate necropsy and tissue sampling techniques are also discussed and demonstrated.

VET 556 - Surgery and Anesthesiology in Research Facilities - 2 credits; spring
This course is designed to provide the students with additional training in anesthesia and surgery methods relevant to the laboratory animal setting. The first portion of the course focuses on principles of anesthesia in laboratory animals with special emphasis on rodents and non-traditional species that are not typically covered in the veterinary curriculum. Pain assessment; analgesic management; determination of humane endpoints and methods of euthanasia are also covered. A rodent anesthesia laboratory is conducted allowing students to gain experience with the following: injectable and inhalant anesthetic agents, various methods of inhalant drug delivery (chamber, mask, manifold systems), intubation techniques and monitoring techniques. The second half of the class focuses on the principles of aseptic surgery in research facilities including sterilization methods, surgical pack preparation and issues specific to rodents, USDA covered species, amphibians and reptiles. Minimally invasive surgical techniques, microsurgical techniques, and pre and post-operative care and support are also discussed. A rodent surgery laboratory is offered at Charles River Labs in which students gain practical experience in rodent surgical methods by performing common procedures such as splenectomy, adrenalectomy, ovariectomy, embryo transfer, ovarian transplant and jugular vein cannulation.

VET 550 - Applied Learning Experience: Animal Facility Experience - 2 credits; 8 wks
The summer Animal Facility Experience consists of two 4-week in-depth training experiences at industry or academic laboratory animal facilities during the first or second summer after matriculation into the program. summer

VET 554 - Applied Learning Experience: Research Experience - 2 credits; 8 weeks
The summer Research Experience consists of an 8-week research experience involving animals. summer

Clinical Electives - 9 credits; 9 weeks

1. Rodent barrier facilities
2. Biocontainment facilities
3. NERPC
4. Surgical programs
5. Transgenic facility
6. Pathology Student choice

Applied Learning Experiences

Charles River Labs, TNEMCH, U. Mass Medical Center, Genzyme, and Massachusetts General Hospital have committed to participate in this Laboratory Animal Medicine program by agreeing to let students in their facilities during summers for either their Animal Facility Experience or Research Experience, as well as their clinical electives. Options are available at other facilities as well.

ALE: Animal Facility Experience
The summer Animal Facility Experience consists of two 4-week in-depth training experiences at industry or academic laboratory animal facilities during the first or second summer after matriculation into the program. Students can apply to take the laboratory animal experience part of the program at any institution with an AAALAC- accredited laboratory animal program, but must have a written support letter from the staff veterinarian or facility director describing the planned learning experience. New sites must be approved by the Laboratory Animal Graduate Program Committee. A student can arrange the two 4-week programs at one or two separate institutions the first summer.

During the summer, students work closely with veterinary staff and animal care staff for hands on experience with the animal care, enrichment and veterinary programs and are required to write a paper on ethical use of animals in research or environmental enrichment programs based on their didactic training and summer experience. Students are evaluated by the veterinary staff at the training institutions.

ALE: Research Experience
The summer Research Experience consists of an 8-week research experience involving animals. This research experience must take place during the first or second summer of the program and be an 8-week in depth laboratory research experience, preferably an independent project, in an established research laboratory.

Students are required to work with an established biomedical research investigator and write a research report on the summer project. They are evaluated by the principle investigator of the laboratory.

Lottery System

All DVM students are required to take part in a lottery selection process to select their end of third year and fourth year core and elective rotations. Since nine (9) weeks of lab animal medicine rotations are required, students have to use nine (9) weeks of their elective DVM rotation time. The last seven (7) weeks of the DVM rotation schedule consists of electives. In order to help solidify rotations in advance, it may be easier for students in this combined degree program to use these last seven (7) weeks in conjunction with another 2-week rotation block in order to fulfill this requirement. For questions relating to "the lottery", contact the Clinical Coordinator at 8-4772.

Program Faculty

The Master's program faculty include full-time Cummings Veterinary School faculty (Dr. Angeline Warner, Dr. Lara Weaver, Dr. Karl Andrutis, Dr. Alicia Karas) as well as veterinary experts from Charles River Laboratories, U. Mass Medical School, Genzyme, Tufts New England Medical Center (Dr. Scott Perkins), Joslin Diabetes Center, and Massachusetts General Hospital animal facilities.

Career Opportunities

DVM/MS graduates can become leaders in the field of laboratory animal medicine. Many exciting opportunities exist, including academia, industry (biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies), and government positions. Laboratory animal medicine experts are involved in veterinary care, teaching, animal resource management, refinement of animal models, development of alternatives to animals in research, and independent research.

The mean salary for board certified laboratory animal veterinarians during 2002 was $117,240. The mean salary for non-board certified laboratory animal veterinarians during their first five years of employment were $66,000 in academia and $77,489 in industry. *

* 2002 ACLAM/ASLAP Laboratory Animal Veterinarian Economic Study

Contact Information

For additional information or questions about this program, contact:

• Dr. Angeline Warner, Program Director for the DVM/MS in Laboratory Animal Medicine
• Monica McDonald Johnson, Graduate Studies Manager
• Rebecca Russo, Director of Admissions