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Principal Investigator: Michele M. Bailey
Contact Information: E-mail: mmb38@cornell.edu - Phone: 607-253-3523
Sponsor: Schering-Plough
Grant Number: N/A
Title: "Cornell Center for Animal Resources and Education (CARE) Residency Program in Laboratory Animal Medicine"
Annual Direct Cost: $67,487
Project Period: 07/01/07-06/30/10
DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): There is currently a national shortage of veterinarians in laboratory animal medicine, and there are even fewer laboratory animal veterinarians trained in the clinical practice and management of agricultural species. In 2004, the National Academies' Committee on Increasing Veterinary involvement in Biomedical Research (National Research Council) published its findings in a document called "National Need and Priorities for Veterinarians in Biomedical Research." This study found that, from 1995-2002, the number of NIH-funded grants utilizing animals increased by 31.7%. It is predicted that mouse use alone will continue to increase by 10-20% annually from 2000-2010. In contrast, the number of individuals who completed residency training in laboratory animal medicine was 25% lower in 2002 than in 1996. The acute shortage of trained laboratory animal veterinarians is felt by both academia and industry.
Cornell University is uniquely situated to address these problems as we have a broad range of research and teaching programs, utilizing both traditional laboratory animal species and agricultural species. The College of Veterinary Medicine is a rich source of expertise in fields of both biomedical and veterinary research. This distinct combination of expertise and training opportunities offers the ability to fill identified voids in the laboratory animal medicine field.
The residency program in Laboratory Animal Medicine was developed to train graduate veterinarians for a career in laboratory animal medicine, research, and service, by providing the knowledge and experience necessary to achieve certification by the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine (ACLAM). As outlined in the ACLAM Role Delineation Document, the resident will receive training to advance the humane care and responsible use of laboratory animals.
The residency is a three-year program. The first two years focus on clinical medicine and surgery, facility management, and regulatory and compliance issues. During the second year, residents have the opportunity to explore a research interest. Significant effort (50-75%) during the third year is applied to establishing a research project (collaborative or independent) to enable first authorship on a scientific paper. Successful completion of the residency is determined by program faculty. The program allows the trainee to become an active member of an exciting profession, on the cutting-edge of research in human and animal needs, with the additional opportunity to complete a Masters Degree in the field of Comparative Biomedical Science.
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