Laboratory Animal Medicine
A Key to A Very Bright Future
Name of LAM Vet presenting
Raise your hand if….
 You have ever been vaccinated
 You have ever taken a medication
 You have ever had surgery/hospital stay
 You have ever donated or received blood
 You know someone who has had diabetes,
cancer or other diseases
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Many current medical treatments
depend on animal research.
 Vaccines against polio, measles and
smallpox
“Iron lung used for
polio victims, 1956”
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 Open-heart surgery, coronary bypass, heart
valve replacement
 Diabetes therapies
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...These treatments benefit not
only people, but animals too!
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Pookie:
Living with
diabetes
Buddy: After his
heart surgery
Maggie: Breast
cancer survivor
Lucy: After her
kidney
transplant
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But a lot of misinformation has
been spread about animal
research.
 Some people do not realize the many
benefits of animal research to both people
and animals.
 People do not always know that animals are
treated humanely and with great respect.
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Despite these misconceptions,
2/3 to 3/4 of Americans support
the need for animal research.
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“One world, one health, one
medicine”
 While new diseases lie ahead for people
and animals, animal research can help us
investigate and treat these.
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What led me to become a
laboratory animal veterinarian?
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Diverse career opportunities exist
in laboratory animal medicine
(LAM).
 Clinical veterinary medicine
 Administration
 Research
 Teaching and training
 Pathology
 Regulatory oversight
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Clinical LAM vets provide health
care for a variety of species.
 They may also:
– Review research protocols to ensure animal
welfare
– Consult with scientists about model
development
– Provide technical support for research (perform
ultrasound exams or surgeries)
 No 2 days are alike!
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Administration
 Manage budget and staffing issues
 May write grants to improve the program or
request equipment
 Liaison to senior management to ensure
support for optimal animal program
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Research
 Veterinarians may head or contribute to
research projects
 Independent or collaborative research
 Tremendous diversity of research
– Infectious disease, physiology, biology,
reproduction, surgery, cancer biology,
pharmaceutics, neuroscience, biomedical
instrumentation, toxicology…
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Teaching & Training
 LAM vets teach in veterinary schools,
veterinary technician schools, graduate
programs.
 Veterinarians can serve as trainers for other
veterinary residents, graduate students,
research staff, animal care staff.
 A well-developed training program is an
essential part of a good lab animal program.
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Pathology
 Pathologists with laboratory animal
expertise are in great demand!
 They are required to help diagnose rodent
strain abnormalities, drug side effects, and
diseases in individual research animals.
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Regulatory Oversight
 Institutional Animal Care and Use
Committee (IACUC) is mandated by
USDA regulations
 Must include a LAM veterinarian
 Review all animal use protocols, and
animal facilities
 Investigate animal concerns
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Alternatives (3Rs) = Reduce,
Refine, Replace
 Reduce animal numbers
– Better statistics, less redundancy
 Refinement of animal models
– Less invasive procedures, better analgesics and
anesthetics
 Replacement of animal models
– Cell culture, computer modeling
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Environmental Enrichment
Animals are also provided enrichment in the form of
exercise, toys, music, group housing, videos and other food
treats.
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What animal species will I work
with?
 Depends on type of program
 ~95% of research animals are rats/mice.
– Rodents, genetically-engineered.
 ~5% other species
– Domestic species (dogs, ferrets, pigs).
– Nonhuman primates
– Exotics – woodchucks, bats, fish, amphibians,
reptiles, etc.
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LAM versus Private Practice
 Clientele - pet owner vs. scientist –
different issues.
 Individual care vs. herd health – depends on
study, some rare & valuable strains/species.
 Diagnostics – pursue if you have time,
money, tools – write up interesting cases.
 Hours / Schedule – usually less weekend
work!
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Must Work Well with
Human primates too!
Where are the jobs?
 Anywhere biomedical research is
performed
–
–
–
–
–
–
Academia – both large and small programs
Pharmaceutical Companies
Biotech Companies
Hospitals
Government-Military-NIH
Public Health
 Throughout the US / world
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LAM has several advantages.
 Diverse jobs
 Flexible hours
 Good pay
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ACLAM is the governing college
for laboratory animal
veterinarians.
 ACLAM = American College of
Laboratory Animal Medicine
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Other LAM organizations can
also provide information.
 American Society of Laboratory Animal
Practitioners (ASLAP)
 American Association of Laboratory
Animal Science (AALAS)
 Charles L. Davis Foundation for the
Advancement of Veterinary and
Comparative Pathology
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Do I need to become ACLAM
board-certified?
 Maybe or maybe not for clinical jobs.
– Mid-career veterinarians can be valuable LAM
veterinarians due to their clinical, fiscal and
“people” skills.
– But salary range is higher if certified.
 Board certification is usually required for
higher-level administrative jobs.
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How do I become ACLAM
board-certified?
 Qualification to take board exams can be
done via either
– a traditional residency “training” route
– or a nontraditional “experience” route
 First-author research publication
 Certifying examination
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The “training” route is very
common, especially for recentlygraduated veterinarians.
 Residencies may have a:
– Clinical focus: Learn LAM & administration of
an animal research program.
– Research focus (NIH): Pursue an MS or PhD
– Combination focus
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How do I find a residency
training program?
 Visit the ACLAM web site
– http://www.aclam.org/education-andtraining/training-programs
 Talk to a lab animal vet
 Do an externship…more info later.
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Where are the residency
programs located?
Size of program varies
from 1-2 trainees up to
10-12 trainees!
Externships can introduce vet
students OR practicing
veterinarians to LAM.
 2-12 weeks, during summer or the
academic year
 Flexible experience depending on interest
 Room and board may be covered
 May receive a small stipend for living
expenses
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Where can I find out more about
externships?
 Check ACLAM’s website:
– http://www.aclam.org/career-outreach/careerpathways
 Check ASLAP’s website:
– http://www.aslap.org/careers
 Consider academia, biotechnology, federal
government, and primate centers.
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If a residency is not right for you,
consider ACLAM certification
via the “experience route.”
 Small colleges and contract laboratories
may employ you even if you don’t have
LAM experience.
– Part-time may be a good start.
 But be sure to find an experienced LAM
mentor to learn from!
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Work Hard but Have Fun!
Questions?