Laboratory Animal Medicine Resident

This post-doctoral training position is a three-year ACLAM accredited program that provides training and education necessary to be successful in the field of laboratory animal medicine. Additionally, the program also prepares the individual with the knowledge and requirements necessary to become eligible and ultimately pass the ACLAM specialty board exam.


The current position is unique as it is open to all interested veterinarians with a new or renewed interest in laboratory animal medicine and includes not only individuals who have prior experiences in the field but currently practicing veterinarians who are looking to make a commitment to changing their career path.  The only required qualifications to apply for this position is a DVM (or equivalent) and the ability to become licensed in the state of Minnesota before starting.


This residency position is specific to the University of Minnesota, but it is also part of The Minnesota Laboratory Animal Medicine Consortium, a collaboration between The University of Minnesota in Minneapolis/St. Paul and Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. While most training occurs at the resident’s home institutions, the consortium model provides additional learning opportunities and experiences.

Briefly, the resident will receive training in clinical laboratory animal medicine and surgery, anatomic and clinical pathology, vivarium design and management, regulations governing the use of laboratory animals, and biomedical research models among many more topics.

Training will occur in the form of didactic materials (lectures, journal clubs, board review sessions, etc.) and clinical training (case management, wet labs, etc.) under the guidance and mentorship of a combined 15 program faculty (including 11 ACLAM Diplomates). The University of Minnesota training site is AAALAC-accredited and may house more than fifteen different species depending on current research, providing a diverse clinical learning experience.

The University of Minnesota has a diverse research program with many unique resources that include (but are not limited to) surgical model and device development, advanced pre-clinical imaging techniques, advanced rodent support (behavior, phenotyping, genetics, imaging, etc.) agricultural research, bio-secure isolation facilities, and aquatics programs.

In addition to the clinical and didactic training, support for resident research will be provided as an expectation of the program and each resident will work to publish a first author, hypothesis driven research article in a peer reviewed journal.  Continuing education and travel funds are provided when available to attend and present at national meetings and to provide other training opportunities.

Additional information may be found at the VIRMP site: (https://www.virmp.org/)

Duties and Responsibilities

>50% - Clinical Care
• Perform rounds and clinical care, provide care to research animals, examine animals, diagnose illness or injury, prescribe medication, perform surgery, and provide humane euthanasia when necessary.
• Provide typical veterinary care services after-hours, holidays, and weekends, including emergency veterinary care in response to physical facility failures which may include ventilation, heating, and plumbing emergencies.

20% - Training and Teaching
• Didactic training and teaching will include:
o Attending and presenting at training sessions covering biology, medicine, management, and laboratory animal medicine regulations.
o Assist in teaching courses to University veterinary students and research staff.
o Attend training on facility design, husbandry management, health surveillance and preventative medicine.

15% - Research
• Identify a hypothesis-driven research project, design an experiment with controls, conduct a literature review, secure IACUC approval as needed, collect and interpret results, and write a complete manuscript.
• Submit a manuscript for publication in a peer-reviewed journal, and submit an abstract for presentation at a national-level meeting.

10% - Regulatory and IACUC
• Perform regulatory and IACUC functions including protocol reviews, facility inspections, and preparations for various inspections and accreditation site visits

5% - Miscellaneous
• Other clinical, regulatory, or teaching/training duties as assigned by the residency director or other managing faculty.
 

Required Qualifications:
• Applicants must have a DVM or equivalent
• Applicant must be able to obtain a Minnesota State Veterinary License

Preferred Qualifications:
• Use of effective verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to handle difficult situations and clients with a professional demeanor in high stakes environments
• Research animal experience including but not limited to externships, summer internships, relief work, shadowing hours, or any other experiences within the research field
• Ability to work independently and in a collaborative team environment
• Experience with research projects including: design, implementation, writing, reviewing, and submitting
• Willingness to learn and grow as a veterinarian in this exciting field