| Is this program recognized by ACLAM? | Yes |
| Does this program participate in the Veterinary Internship & Residency Matching Program (VIRMP)? | Yes
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| Number of concurrent residents | 2
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| How many residents/trainees have completed this program? | 1
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| Of these, how many have subsequently become ACLAM Diplomates? | 0
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| In what year did the program accept its first trainee? | 2009
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| How many years are required to complete this program (residency only)? | 3
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| Is formal coursework offered? | Yes |
| Is a degree program associated with this residency? | Yes
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| If yes, what degree(s)? | MS, option for PhD
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| Which departments most commonly grant degree(s)? | Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Pathology, Toxicology, Pharmacology
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| Give an overview of this program, describing its particular strengths and any unique aspects that are not addressed in any of the other sections | Please note that we will not be accepting resident applications in the 2017-2018 or 2018-2019 VIRMP cycle.
Program contains a blend of clinical rotations, seminars on laboratory animal subjects, formal academic didactic instruction, and mentored research. Each trainee is assigned a Program Advisor (who will be a member of the IUSM LARC veterinary staff) upon entering the program. During the first six months of the program, with the assistance of the Program Advisor, the trainee will meet with faculty members from a variety of disciplines in order to identify a laboratory that can support the goal of a short-term project for the trainee to perform in their second year. During the second six months of the program, the trainee will select a Graduate Committee comprised of at least 3 faculty and/or professional staff. The Graduate Committee evaluates the student's curriculum and research project and monitors the progress of the training and research, meeting at least twice a year. The Research Mentor will be a member of the Graduate Committee.
Activities during the first year consists of clinical rotations (three months in each of the LARC operational units as described below), seminars on laboratory animal subjects, formal academic coursework, selection of a research project, and mentored evaluation of the scientific literature surrounding the selected research project. The second year is designed to provide a year of mentored research training while maintaining clinical skills. During the third year, clinical skills and management skills are again emphasized by a second set of clinical rotations through each of the four operational units. Third year students may also take a one to two month training block at another institution with the approval of the Program Advisor and Graduate Committee. |
| Describe any unique research interests of your faculty | Dr. Debra Hickman maintains a laboratory that examines the welfare of animals used in biomedical research using a combination of behavioral and physiological assessments.
Potential Research Mentors are approved on the basis of outstanding research, current or potential funding, and proven track record, or likely potential for new investigators. It is the philosophy of this program that trainees should be given wide latitude in the type of research training they pursue because of the breadth of the role of laboratory animal medicine veterinarians and the variable research interests of trainees. Thus, Research Mentors may range from behaviorists to those who are highly specialized in molecular biology. It is the philosophy of this program that training of laboratory animal medicine veterinarians in a wide variety of research areas enhances the ability of the trainees to interface with multiple specialties in the future. During the first six months, each trainee will have opportunities to meet with various mentors and identify one whose research interests most closely match his or her own. With the assistance of the Program Advisor, the trainee is expected to choose a mentor from the list of approved mentors and select a Graduate Committee by the end of 9 months. The specific project will be developed by the trainee with guidance by the Research Mentor and the Graduate Committee. |
| Give a few literature citations of publications completed by trainees during their tenure in this program | Paster, EV, KA Villines, and DL Hickman. 2009. “Endpoints for Mouse Abdominal Tumor Models: Refinement of Current Criteria.” Comparative Medicine 59(3): 234-241.
Paster, E and DL Hickman. 2008. “Does feeding an alfalfa-based diet predispose laboratory rabbits to hypercalcemia and renal disease?” JAALAS 47(5): 80-81.
Paster, E, K Villines, and DL Hickman. 2008. “Endpoints for mouse subcutaneous tumor models: refinement of current criteria.” JAALAS 47(5): 80.
Hickman, DL, M Swan, R Luksic, B Bustamante, and E Paster. 2008. “Characterizing a body condition scoring technique and scale for rats.” JAALAS 47(5): 39.
Hickman, D, E Paster, and E Tonsfeldt. 2008. “Protocol review: Collaborative studies and animal reuse.” Lab Animal 37(2): 23.
Johnson, J, R Crisler-Roberts, and D. Hickman. 2010. "Protocol review: Major or minor surgery?" Publication pending Lab Animal
Hickman, D, E Tonsfeldt, J Ueda, M Swan, C Webb, and D Hinrichs. 2009. “Assessment of pain and distress associated with footpad injections of Complete Freund Adjuvant in Lewis rats.” JAALAS 48(5): 555-556. |
| Where will vacancies be advertised? | VIRMP & ASLAP websites |
| What month does the program begin? | July (flexible) |