Is veterinary pathology an officially recognized specialty of veterinary medicine?
The American College of Veterinary Pathologists (ACVP) was founded back in 1949, after veterinary pathology became the first officially recognized specialty of veterinary medicine in the USA.
The specialty has since been further subdivided into anatomic and clinical pathology. There is a yearly exam, now online, with four parts: macroscopic pathology; histopathology (in the past, at least 20 case slides to be read and described within 12 minutes each); clinical pathology for anatomic pathologists; and general veterinary pathology knowledge.
How would you describe the veterinary pathology community in the US?
ACVP has more than 3,000 board-certified members. The majority are in the US, but an important minority is scattered in Europe and Australia. The US job market is extremely attractive, with salaries ranging from $250K to $500K. A few positions with prestigious pharmaceutical company positions pay over $1 million.
Our pharma colleagues envy the freedom and variety of our academic jobs, and we academics envy their salaries. Nevertheless, we all gather with friendship and camaraderie at our annual Fall meeting.
How difficult is it to recruit students or young veterinarians to veterinary pathology?
Although the requests do not reach the enormous numbers seen for internal medicine, emergency and critical care, surgery, diagnostic imaging, and ophthalmology, our program receives 20 to 50 applicants every year. The pool is national and international, and we are known for our international program with candidate selections based on merit.
Residents follow a 3-year program that includes necropsies (the animal autopsy), necropsy organ histopathology and surgical biopsies, necropsies “in a jar” (field necropsies sent in by veterinary practitioners), lectures, journal clubs, seminars, and a time-sensitive diagnostic report preparation.
Where do most veterinary pathologists work?
Most work in academia or state diagnostic laboratories, or for pharmaceutical companies, contract research organizations, or non-human primate centers.
The more entrepreneurial veterinary pathologists might act as a “one-person band,” establishing their own diagnostic unit or private consulting company.
A few are pathologists in zoological parks and state institutions.
Do you interact with human and veterinary pathologists in other countries?
I do, and our pathology group is international with Argentinians, Brazilians, Japanese, Koreans, and Europeans. We were able to create one of the most productive and collegial comparative pathology groups on the planet. The yearly invitations to talk at scientific meetings are extremely refreshing and a continuous source of knowledge and very useful intellectual interaction.
What diagnostic techniques do you use most commonly in your daily work?
Our daily work revolves around macroscopic examination, histopathology, and immunohistochemistry – we have more than 130 immunohistochemistry tests in our lab. We run PCR on both fresh samples and tissue embedded in paraffin blocks, and have in situ hybridization available for research projects. We also make frequent use of our microbiology, parasitology, and toxicology laboratories.
Animal forensic pathology “exploded” in our field during the past 15 years. We have forensic protocols, which we apply when a forensic necropsy is necessary. Sooner or later there may be an official subspecialty with this name.
What do you find to be the most satisfying aspects of your work?
One of the biggest satisfactions of our job is acting as the link between animals and humans and the defensive barrier against dangerous zoonotic (e.g. rabies, West Nile fever, other encephalitides) and foreign animal diseases (e.g. foot and mouth disease, African swine fever, hog cholera, glanders, and tuberculosis). This direct link with public and animal health gives a sense of purpose and accomplishment.
I also love knowledge and discovery, which I foster and share through teaching. During the past 40 years I have accrued an enormous quantity of useful information, and I do not want to see it lost. Although much of this information is captured in my books and peer-reviewed articles, it also gives me pleasure to present it in an easily digestible format. If I have a good, interested audience, I will happily continue until I'm told to stop.
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