Institution TypePrivate University
Is there a medical school?Yes
Is this a land-grant institution?No
Vivarium DirectorDr Mathias Leblanc, DVM, PHD, DACLAM
Program DirectorDr. Melaney Gee, DACLAM
Who to ContactDr. Melaney Gee, DACLAM
AddressDepartment of Comparative Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, North Carolina    27157-1040  
Phone(336) 716-1535
Fax
Emailmgee@wakehealth.edu

Vivarium Information

Vivarium NameAnimal Resources Program
Is the facility AAALAC accredited?Yes
Describe management structureThe Animal Resources Program oversees animal care and research support.  The program has a Director/Attending Veterinarian of the institution, with support from 2 Assistant Directors and 2 Clinical Veterinarians.  In addition, there is a veterinary diagnostic pathology team consisting of 3 veterinary pathologists
Describe the extent to which your facilities are centralizedAnimals housed in 5 separate locations
Vivarium Square Feet215,000
Summarize the nature of the animal population and the predominant types of clinical activities3 Distinct Campuses:
Clarkson Campus
Primarily houses NHP (approximately 600, old world monkeys) and sheep/goats, and pigs in support of the Department on Comparative Medicine
Bowman Gray Medical Center Campus
Houses a wide variety of non-human primates, sheep, dogs, cats, pigs, rabbits, and rodents (barrier and conventional housing), for a large variety of research programs
Downtown Campus
Houses a variety of non-human primates, small ruminants, dogs, cats, pigs, rabbits, and rodents (barrier housing and conventional housing), ABSL-2 facility in support of Wake Forest Regenerative Medicine Institute (WFIRM) and Microbiology/Immunology programs
Number of Veterinarians in program12
Number of ACLAM Diplomates in program3
Number of Boarded Pathologists3
Number of Other Boarded Veterinary Specialists0
Number of necropsies/week in the veterinary unit5
Number of surgical cases/week in the veterinary unit5

Training Program Details

Is this program recognized by ACLAM?Yes
Does this program participate in the Veterinary Internship & Residency Matching Program (VIRMP)?Yes
Number of concurrent residents2
How many residents/trainees have completed this program?100
Of these, how many have subsequently become ACLAM Diplomates?50
In what year did the program accept its first trainee?1963
How many years are required to complete this program (residency only)?2
Is formal coursework offered?Yes
Is a degree program associated with this residency?No
If yes, what degree(s)?NA
Which departments most commonly grant degree(s)?NA
Give an overview of this program, describing its particular strengths and any unique aspects that are not addressed in any of the other sections

The major goal of this training program is to train veterinarians for specialized service in the field of Laboratory Animal Medicine.  More specifically, at the completion of the program they should have acquired appropriate training to meet the standards of training outlined by, and leading to eligibility in the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine.  The training will include hands-on training in the clinical care and management of multiple species used in a research setting.  It will include formal didactic courses appropriate to LAM as well as informal LAM board preparation training (ACLAM study group).  The trainees will receive research mentorship and experience with the intent of completion of a first author scientific publication.  They will be involved in regulatory activities, such as IACUC meetings and protocol review, facilities inspections and interaction with peripheral committees relating to occupational health and safety.

The strengths and unique aspects of this program include a large clinical case load that is driven primarily by our large population of non-human primates, but includes many other species as well.  This gives trainees a lot of hands-on experience, both with our breeding colony, and also managing research related procedures and situations.  In addition, we have a very strong diagnostic veterinary pathology program, and a veterinary pathology residency, which opens opportunities for collaboration and training in this area, which is very pertinent to the field of Laboratory Animal Medicine.
Describe any unique research interests of your facultyThere are 6 main areas of research focus that include: Cancer, Neuroscience/Neurology, Aging/Alzheimers, Diabetes/Obesity/Metabolism, Cardiovascular Disease and Regenerative Medicine. The research entity includes over 75 departments/sections, 8 institutionally supported research centers and 3 institutes. There are about 1,100 active faculty members. FY19 research funding was approximately $223 million, derived from federal and non-federal grants and contracts. Over 30 departments perform animal research and about one third to one half of the NIH-supported projects use experimental animals.
Give a few literature citations of publications completed by trainees during their tenure in this program

N Bacarella, A Ruggiero, A Davis, B Uberseder, M Davis, D. Bracy, D Wasserman, JM Cline, C Sherrill, and K Kavanagh. Whole Body Irradiation Induces Diabetes and Adipose Insulin Resistance in Non-human Primates. International Journal of Radiation Oncology ·Biology · Physics. 106 (4) pp878-886, 2020

Chichester, Lee Gee, Melaney K,  Jorgensen Matthew J,  Kaplan, Jay R. Hematology and Clinical Chemistry Measures During and After Pregnancy and Age- and Sex-Specific Reference Intervals in African Green Monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops sabaeus).  Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science, Volume 54, Number 4, July 2015, pp. 359-367(9)

Quentin N. Wilson, Magan Wells, Ashley T. DavisChristina Sherrill, Matthew C. B. Tsilimigras, Roshonda B. JonesAnthony A. Fodor, Kylie Kavanagh. Greater Microbial Translocation and Vulnerability to Metabolic Disease in Healthy Aged Female Monkeys.  Sci Rep. 2018; 8: 11373

Where will vacancies be advertised?VIRMP
What month does the program begin?July

Living and Working

Starting Annual Salary$48,000
To what extent is travel to meetings, etc. paid for?Support for travel to professional meetings is available, especially if poster or presentation is accepted.
Is individual health insurance provided?Yes
Is family health insurance provided?Yes
Describe any fees or tuitionNone
Describe the residents' responsibilities for night, weekend, and holiday coverageThe night, weekend, and holiday coverage responsibilities are shared among 6 veterinarians on a rotating schedule. Residents are typically on-call one weekend a month, and one holiday/year, with back-up support from a senior level clinician.
How many annual vacation days are given?Residents will accrue approximately 5 weeks of Personal Time Off (PTO) per year that can be used for vacation, sick time and holiday time off.
How many annual sick days are given?Residents will accrue approximately 5 weeks of Personal Time Off (PTO) per year that can be used for vacation, sick time and holiday time off.
Briefly describe the communityWinston-Salem, NC is home to about 186,000 people who enjoy its moderate climate and year-round outdoor activities. The Blue Ridge Mountains are approximately an hour drive away, while the beaches of the Atlantic Ocean are just an afternoon drive away. Winston-Salem and the surrounding Piedmont Triad area rank high in national surveys of desirability and career opportunities. A wide variety of cultural activities rounds out life in this historically rich region.
Institutional, facility, or training program web sitehttps://school.wakehealth.edu/Education-and-Training/Residencies-and-Fellowships/Laboratory-Animal-Medicine-Residency