Clinical Pathology Residency

Program Directors

Dr. Carol Grindem, (919) 513-6277 or e-mail Carol_Grindem@ncsu.edu

Dr. Jennifer Neel, (919) 513-6254 or e-mail Jennifer_Neel@ncsu.edu

Objectives

The Resident Training Program in Veterinary Clinical Pathology at North Carolina State University is a three-year postgraduate training opportunity designed to provide advanced training in veterinary clinical pathology, to develop diagnostic laboratory skills and to develop teaching and communication skills. Completion of this program will fulfill the prerequisites for the Clinical Pathology Board examination by the American College of Veterinary Pathologists. This residency program is designed to prepare trainees for the many available career opportunities in veterinary clinical pathology including diagnostic laboratories, academic institutions, toxicologic/ pharmaceutical industries or private businesses.

The program provides ample opportunities to develop proficiency and acquire expertise in advanced clinical pathology necessary to become a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Pathology. Residents will participate with faculty, staff and veterinary students in the daily professional activities, and acquire teaching and writing skills through the combined professional instructional efforts. In addition, residents will have the opportunity to complete graduate courses, participate in seminars, and acquire skills in research methodology. The program is designed to facilitate entry into a PhD graduate program. A variety of excellent PhD programs are available to choose from and competitive stipends are awarded annually.

The program is not part of the residency matching program. Requests for applications are advertised in the fall in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association and positions start July 1.

Clinical Pathology Laboratory and Faculty at NC State University

The NCSU-CVM Teaching Hospital receives about 17,000 patients annually including increasing numbers of avian, fish and exotic species. The Clinical Pathology Laboratory handles a monthly work load of 1200 CBC's, 300 cytopathology specimens, 300 urinalyses, and 600 serum chemistry and blood gas panels. In addition we handle 60 coagulation panels and 140 send-out specialized assays. We have a laboratory staff of 7 technologists, and 8 part-time student technicians. Major pieces of equipment include an Advia 120 hematology instrument, and a Hitachi 912 chemistry instrument. The cytopathology reading room is equipped with a 5-headed Olympus microscope with a digital camera, an Olympus microscope, two computers networked to the main frame computer and a small reference library. A 10- headed teaching scope and a Nikon microscope/video camera station are also available.

The Clinical Pathology Group at NCSU include five faculty (4 board certified). Faculty are Carol Grindem, Jennifer Neel, Don Meuten, Valarie Pallatto and Gregg Dean; residents are Jaime Tarigo and Laura Snyder. Faculty and residents are responsible for teaching a sophomore clinical pathology course (VMP 942), 12- two-week laboratory medicine senior rotations (VMP 978) and 2- one-week cytology selectives. Additionally, there are 6 board certified veterinary clinical pathologists in the Greater Research Triangle Area.

General Information

Clinical Pathology Residency Program provides training primarily in cytology, hematology, coagulation, clinical chemistries, urinalysis and surgical pathology. Residents will evaluate and diagnose cytologic and surgical pathology material. They will also review and interpret laboratory results from hematology, coagulation, clinical chemistry and urinalysis. Routine laboratory material serves as source material for evaluation.

Similarly, residents are expected to develop proficiency in certain laboratory techniques and will have laboratory and instructional responsibilities. Attendance and participation in clinical pathology rounds and case discussions, journal club, histopathology conferences, House Officer' Seminar Series, internal medicine rounds and graduate courses are expected. Residents are also encouraged to attend seminars, conferences and clinical rounds in the college, university and surrounding area.

Clinical research projects provide opportunities to enhance grantsmanship, organizational, publication and communication skills. Presenting results of these projects at National meetings and published in appropriate journals is strongly encouraged.

Appointments will be for sequential one-year terms. Residents will be formally reviewed twice a year. Reappointment is based upon satisfactory progress in the program. Appointments and reappointments usually start July 1. Individuals wishing to enter a Ph.D. degree program should contact the Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies for further information early in their program. Graduate training opportunities are available in pathology, infectious diseases, immunology, cell biology, physiology, pharmacology, and population medicine.

Program

The following is a general outline for the training program. Twice a year the resident and the residency committee will meet to develop a 6-month plan for professional activities. The resident is ultimately responsible for compliance with the work plan. During the third year, a major component of the trainee’s duty will be to mentor junior residents, organize board study groups and assume primary responsibility for cytopathology duty and senior clinical pathology teaching.

Program Outline

  1. Orientation on laboratory medicine, specimen preparation and handling, record keeping, teaching resource material and photography (1st year).
  2. Assignment to clinical pathology service duty for approximately 27 weeks/year. Duty includes evaluating cytologic samples; reviewing blood smears, chemistry data, coagulation data, and urinalysis data; and consulting with clinicians, students and researchers about the interpretation of laboratory results (1st, 2nd, 3rd years.)
  3. Rotation (1-4 weeks) in the clinical pathology laboratory to gain proficiency in operating laboratory equipment (Advia hematology instrument, Hitachi chemistry instrument, Blood gas machine, and coagulation machine) learning test methodologies, quality control and laboratory management. (1st and 2nd years)
  4. Gain teaching experience through presentation of lectures and assisting in laboratory instruction in the sophomore clinical pathology course (VMP 942), senior clinical pathology rotations (VMP 978) and selectives. Teach the urinalysis part of VMM942 the 1st year (2 lecture, 2 laboratory), the coagulation section the 2nd year (3 lectures and 1 laboratory), and the hematology section the third year (6 lectures and 4 labs) and assist in teaching other laboratories all three years. The residents will teach a hands-on urinalysis lab, a hematology lab, cytology and body fluids lab in the senior rotation. Additionally, the 2nd and 3rd year trainees will participate with the faculty in teaching hematology/cytology and clinical chemistry case interpretation in the senior rotations (VMP 978).
  5. Presentation of at least one in-depth seminar in the House Officers' Seminar Series related to clinical disease problems identified through clinical pathology laboratory tests or related to a research project. Weekly attendance of this seminar series is required (1st, 2 nd years).
  6. Attend, participate, and present at weekly clinical pathology rounds, clinical pathology journal club, surgical pathology seminars and internal medicine rounds, and annual mock board exam (1st, 2nd, 3rd years).
  7. Development of a clinical research project with the guidance from the clinical pathology faculty (1st year).
  8. Submission and acceptance (before completion of the residency) of at least one first author article for publication in an appropriate refereed journal.
  9. Encourage presentation of case material and/or research project at regional or national meeting (1st, 2nd, 3rd years).
  10. Submissions to "What is your diagnosis?" or a presentation at the Southeastern Veterinary Pathology Conference at Tifton, GA is strongly encouraged (1st, 2nd, 3rd years).
  11. Other opportunities include rotations of 1-2 week duration through ancillary disciplines such as anatomical pathology, Rollins State Diagnostic Laboratory, basic research laboratory, immunology, oncology, small or large animal medicine, laboratory animal medicine, electron microscopy, epidemiology, computer science, or clinical pharmacology are available (1st, 2nd, 3rd years).
  12. NCSU has many centers of excellence within the veterinary college. Residents are encouraged to attend seminars and lectures of interest e.g. necropsy rounds, small and/or large animal medicine rounds, wildlife and zoo animal rounds, and research seminars (1st, 2nd, 3rd years).
  13. Identify and arrange the schedule of graduate course work to be completed during the residency (1st year). 14. Superior residents may be promoted to clinical lecturer after successful completion of their second year contingent on available funding.

Clinical Pathology Faculty

Clinical Faculty

Carol B. Grindem, D.V.M., Ph.D.; Dip. A.C.V.P. Hematopoietic neoplasms, platelet disorders, clinical application of flow cytometry, diagnostic cytopathology.

Donald J. Meuten, D.V.M., Ph.D.; Dip. A.C.V.P. (anatomical and clinical pathology). Bone and calcium disorders, diagnostic cytopathology and surgical pathology.

Jennifer A. Neel, D.V.M., Dip. A.C.V.P. Diagnostic clinical pathology, cytopathology, and photography.

Valarie Pallatto, D.V.M., Diagnostic clinical pathology, coordinator of ACVP board preparation.

Research Faculty

Gregg Dean, D.V.M., Ph.D.; Dip. A.C.V.P. Pathogenesis of feline infectious diseases (FeLV, FIP) cytokines, molecular biology, flow cytometry.

Adjunct Clinical Pathology Faculty

Jan Andrews, D.V. M., Ph.D; Dip. A.C.V.P.; Antech Diagnostics

Holly Jordan, D.V.M., Ph.D.; Dip. A.C.V.P.; GlaxoSmithKline

Anatomical Pathology Faculty

John Barnes, D.V.M., Ph.D.; Dip. A.C.V.P. Avian diseases.
Talmage Brown, Jr., D.V.M., Ph.D.; Dip. A.C.V.P. Pathogenesis of infectious diseases.
John Cullen, V.M.D., Ph.D.; Dip. A.C.V.P. Carcinogenesis.
Yongbaek Kim, D.V.M., Ph.D.; Dip. A.C.V.P. Molecular carcinogenesis. Jerry Mac Law, D.V.M., Ph.D., Dip. A.C.V.P. Toxicology.
Donald Meuten, D.V.M., Ph.D., Dip. A.C.V.P. (dual boarded). Bone and calcium disorders.
Keith Linder, D.V.M., Ph.D., Dip. A.C.V.P. Skin biology and disease pathogenesis.

Adjunct Anatomical Pathology Faculty

Linda Kooistra, D.V.M., Ph.D.; Dip. A.C.V.P.; Rollins Animal Disease Diagnostic Lab Dave Malarky, D.V.M., Ph.D.; Dip. A.C.V.P.; NIEHS