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Anatomic Pathology Residency Training

New residents begin their residency training around mid-July with one resident joining the program each year. The pathology training portion of the residency program is offered through the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (VDL) housed within the Veterinary Medicine Basic Sciences Building on the College of Veterinary Medicine campus in Urbana, IL. The VDL currently houses 6 anatomic pathologists and 4 clinical pathologists at the Urbana campus. Additionally, residents have opportunities to interact with the 4 pathologists at our Zoological Pathology Program (ZPP) in Chicago and utilize materials from the ZPP that cover zoological and wildlife species.While many of the cases at ZPP comprise wildlife and zoological species, the VDL at the Urbana campus also sees a strong species diversity providing a wide variety of cases from which to learn and train.

Residents are assigned to diagnostic service on a weekly schedule with case caps on necropsy and biopsy assignments that increase over the 3-year program. The diagnostic service schedule is planned keeping in mind the additional responsibilities required of trainees (graduate training, courses, board prep). Dedicated time off service is provided to allow trainees time to study and prepare for Phase I and II board examinations.

Caseload: Estimated Species Distribution
45% Small animals
34% Large animals
15% Exotic/Zoo/Wildlife
<5% Lab animal

 

In addition to graduate level courses, there are multiple pathologist-led seminars and rounds in various special topics and for generalized training and broad preparation (cytology, dermatopathology, ocular, neuropathology, histopathology/mystery slide seminar, journal club, etc). Additional training and learning opportunities through online courses, Davis-Thompson Foundation courses, and externships are also encouraged. During the second and third years of training, residents are also encouraged to present at scientific meetings or regional conferences. A small amount of funds are available to resident seach year to help alleviate some travel costs.

 

The residency training program is paired with graduate research for completion of a Masters degree. There is a variety of research areas within the College that residents may pursue. The department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine conducts primarily clinical research studies, while more basic science research topics (immunology, toxicology, vaccinology, virology, bacteriology, infectious disease pathogenesis) are conducted in the departments of Pathobiology and Comparative Biosciences. Some recent anatomic pathology resident projects are as follows:

  • Structural and cellular effects of different preservation methods and freeze-thaw procedure in the equine cornea
  • Methods of surgical margin evaluation in soft tissue sarcomas
  • The use of glutathione in canine itraconazole-associated hepatotoxicity
  • Pathological characterization of natural Ophiodiomyces ophiodiicola infection in wild-caught Lake Erie watersnakes: A standardized approach to documentation of disease

Residents will also have teaching responsibilities and opportunities by leading veterinary students on the diagnostic services clinical rotation in necropsy techniques, case rounds, and animal disease, assisting in laboratory activities associated with general and systems pathology courses in the veterinary curriculum, and participation in leading seminar presentations and guest lectures within the College and residency training program.

 

CURRENT ANATOMIC PATHOLOGY RESIDENTS
First Year Second Year Third Year
Dr. Aimee Pepper Dr. Maryanna Parker Dr. Andrew Thiel

 

CURRENT ANATOMIC PATHOLOGY FACULTY (URBANA)
Dr. Wes Baumgartner Dr. Vincent Hsiao
Dr. Jonathan Samuelson Dr. Miranda Vieson

 

Emergency Contacts

Please call 217-333-1620,

select option #1 for the

VDL On-Call Pathologist.