Comparative Medicine Training Opportunities

Overview:

The Department of Pathology's Section on Comparative Medicine offers residency programs in Veterinary Anatomic Pathology, Laboratory Animal Medicine, and Nonhuman Primate Medicine as well as predoctoral and postdoctoral fellowships in Comparative Medicine. 

The tradition of veterinary training at WFSM began under the leadership of Thomas B. Clarkson in 1957, and our institutional T32 post-doctoral training grant "Laboratory and Comparative Medicine Training" celebrated its 50th consecutive year of funding in 2009.

Seven former trainees in this program have served as presidents of the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine, and 14 have created departments or programs at other institutions. The Comparative Medicine faculty provide an outstanding resource of professional expertise for clinical and research training. Our training faculty currently includes 4 diplomates of the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine, and 4 diplomates of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists.

Research funding for the Section on Comparative Medicine is over $9M/year. The broader WFSM community consists of over 800 faculty and approximately $200M/year in research funding, spanning 41 academic departments and 26 Centers or Institutes. 

Institutional strengths include the Wake Forest University Primate Center, the Comprehensive Cancer Center of Wake Forest University, the WFU Institute for Regenerative Medicine, the Center for Human Genomics, the Center for Biomolecular Imaging, and the Sticht Center for Aging Research.

Residencies:

Veterinary Anatomic Pathology Residency

• Director: Dr. Nancy Kock  
• The Veterinary Anatomic Pathology Residency program provides 1-3 years of intensive training in veterinary pathology, counting towards ACVP board eligibility.

Laboratory Animal Medicine Residency

• Director: Dr. Richard Young  
• The Laboratory Animal Medicine Residency program provides 1 or 2 years intensive training in laboratory animal medicine, counting towards ACLAM board eligibility.

Nonhuman Primate Clinical Residency

• Director: Dr. Janice Wagner  
• The Nonhuman Primate Clinical Residency is an intensive NIH-funded program providing 2 years of formal instruction and residency training that can be used toward ACLAM eligibilty.

Residents in disciplines may apply to enter into the research fellowship program after completion of at least one year.

Research Fellowships:

An NIH Training Grant has existed at Wake Forest University since 1959 to support post-DVM training in Comparative Medicine, and the section continues to offer several programs that provide the professional and clinical experience needed to pursue a career in academic or industry research.

Post-Doctoral Fellowships in Comparative Medicine

• Director: Dr. Mark Cline  
• These 3-year, NIH-supported Post-Doctoral Fellowships in Comparative Medicine include formal instruction, research, and professional mentorship; they are open to US citizens who have graduated from AVMA-accredited veterinary schools. Fellowships are research-oriented, and most Fellows pursue a PhD or MS degree as part of their training.

Summer Research Fellowships for Veterinary Students 

• Director:  Dr. Mark Cline   
• First- or second-year students from AVMA-accredited veterinary schools may apply for these NIH-sponsored Summer Research Fellowships, which require at least 8 weeks in the department. The program is open to up to 4 students per summer and provides research training using animal models of human disease.

Externships and Independent Study

• These programs provide an introduction to veterinary pathology, laboratory animal medicine, or comparative medicine, and last for 2-4weeks.  They allow for close work with a faculty mentor to explore a topic of mutual interest. Interested students should provide a letter describing their interests, a curriculum vitae, official grade transcripts, and the names and e-mail addresses of 3 references to Dr. Nancy Kock, below.

For Additional Information:

Please contact Dr. Nancy Kock at 336-713-7389 or send a fax to 336-713-7395.  You may also email her at nkock@wakehealth.edu, or write to:

Nancy D. Kock, DVM PhD
Recruiting Director for Training Programs in Comparative Medicine
Department of Pathology - Comparative Medicine
Wake Forest School of Medicine
Medical Center Boulevard
Winston-Salem, NC 27157