CDC starts residency program in lab-animal medicine

WASHINGTON

- In an effort to address the national shortage of veterinarians certified to work with laboratory animals, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has begun a new residency program in laboratory-animal medicine.

One of about 40 such programs in the country, the CDC program combines classroom training with hands-on experience in CDC's most sophisticated high-containment laboratories to help prepare veterinarians for careers in biomedical research.

The two-year training program, a partnership between CDC and nearby Emory University's Robert W. Woodruff Health Sciences Center, began in July with its first two residents, and will be taking applications for the 2009 class in November.

CDC expects to accept two to three residents next year for the 2009-2010 class.

The program combines 200 hours of academic course work at Emory University with 2,000 hours of hands-on experience in CDC's lab facilities and infectious-disease research, with a CDC scientist as mentor.Graduates will be proficient in not only the day-to-day care and treatment of laboratory animals, but also in working in high-containment laboratories, designing scientific experiments and the use of animal models and administration of lab-animal medicine programs.

The program was accredited in June by the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine (ACLAM.)

Trainees work at CDC for at least two years following the program.