CDC seeking veterinarians for laboratory animal medicine residency

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials want veterinarians for work in biomedical research.

The agency will accept applications starting in November for a laboratory animal medicine residency program. Up to three applicants will be accepted into the 2009-2010 class.

Members will train for two years and complete 200 hours of academic coursework at Emory University in Atlanta and 2,000 hours of work in the CDC's laboratories and infectious disease research. Graduates will spend at least two years working at the CDC.

"Graduates of the program 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," a CDC press release states.

Dr. Michael Huerkamp, director of the division of animal resources at Emory University, made the program possible by allowing CDC residents to attend the didactic part of training in his program.

The residency program is intended to address a shortage of veterinarians certified to work with laboratory animals. Dr. Carolyn Black, director of the CDC scientific resources division, said in the release her agency has struggled to find such veterinarians, and more containment laboratories are being built.

The program is approved by the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine.

Qualified candidates will have a DVM or equivalent degree from an AVMA-accredited veterinary school. They will also be U.S. citizens or hold permanent residency status and be eligible to acquire and maintain a U.S. government security clearance.

To apply, each applicant must submit official transcripts from all higher education institutions attended; a cover letter with a statement of career goals and aspirations; curriculum vitae; and the names, telephone numbers, and addresses of three professional references. For more information, contact Dr. Nathaniel Powell at (404) 639-3442 or czn5atcdc [dot] gov (czn5[at]cdc[dot]gov).

Fax applications to (404) 639-1388 or mail them to Dr. Nathaniel Powell Jr., Chief, Animal Resources Branch, Division of Scientific Resources, National Center for Preparedness, Detection, and Control of Infectious Diseases, 1600 Clifton Road (MS—G28), Atlanta, GA 30333.