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The Department of Comparative Medicine at the University of Washington in Seattle offers training for the next generation of veterinary scientists in biomedical research, who are envisioned as becoming leaders in comparative medicine while engaged in research, teaching, and service in an academic environment. Comparative medicine has grown out of the fields of pathology and laboratory animal medicine and science. It encompasses the various disciplines that are involved in the development, maintenance, and use of animal models of human and animal physiology and disease conditions.
With the advent of transgenic technologies, gene therapy, and the resurgence of integrative biology, the role for veterinarians within academic and research entities is evolving. The program takes advantage of opportunities that exist in this University, which ranks first among public medical schools in NIH extramural awards among American universities, has 38 NIH-sponsored training programs, and has an energetic faculty in Comparative Medicine that is committed to training.
Post-doctoral fellows attending weekly classes
and
seminars in the DCM conference room.
POST-DOCTORAL TRAINING
The post-doctoral training program is designed for graduate veterinarians
and consists of a one-year clinical internship followed by three years of
training in research methodology. It is designed to prepare Doctors of
Veterinary Medicine for careers in independent or collaborative research.
Trainees complete advanced degrees, either Master of Science in
Comparative Medicine and/or a Ph.D. in a variety of basic sciences.
Additionally, resources are available to aid trainees in their
independent pursuit of certification by the American College of
Laboratory Animal Medicine and / or American College of Veterinary
Pathologists.
PRE-DOCTORAL TRAINING
Two pre-doctoral training programs for veterinary students are available. A four-week paid clerkship is available for senior veterinary students designed to: (1) acquaint the student with the field of laboratory animal medicine; (2) provide an opportunity to learn restraint, physical examination, administration of medications, venipuncture, anesthesia, and euthanasia of laboratory animals; (3) familiarize the student with the roles and opportunities of the veterinarian in biomedical research as a member of a multidisciplinary research team; (4) provide experience at anatomic pathology and the correlation of clinical findings with gross and microscopic changes; (5) acquaint the student with regulations to ensure humane care of laboratory animals. The clerkship program includes participation in clinics, necropsy, histopathology services, classroom instruction, and training classes of the Department of Comparative Medicine. Also included are visitations to the Regional Primate Research Center and the Seattle Veterans Administration Medical Center, and presentation of a seminar to the Department. In addition, there is an 8-12 weeks of research summer internship available for veterinary students. The goal of the program is to provide the student an opportunity to acquire an appreciation for the roles and opportunities for veterinarians in biomedical research. The principal activity is the participation in cutting-edge biotechnology projects with an established mentor. Research opportunities include transgenic sciences and gene therapy and studies of nonhuman primate models of AIDS.
For more information on these programs, contact Dr. Denny Liggitt at (206) 685 - 3256, email dliggitt@u.washington.edu, or Ms. Cecil Mancebo at (206) 543-8047, email cmancebo@u.washington.edu.
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