Careers in veterinary laboratory medicine

Ken Smith

Royal Veterinary College

Veterinary laboratory medicine

Why me?

What is veterinary laboratory medicine?

Veterinary laboratory medicine aims to apply scientific methods

to the diagnosis of disease – in academic, government and commercial diagnostic and research laboratories

to understand the beneficial and harmful effects of pharmaceuticals/ agrochemicals – in the pharmaceutical industry

What is veterinary laboratory medicine?

Veterinary laboratory medicine aims to apply scientific methods to the diagnosis of disease:

To establish an aetiology

What is veterinary laboratory medicine?

Veterinary laboratory medicine aims to apply scientific methods to the diagnosis of disease:

To establish an aetiology

To establish a prognosis

What is veterinary laboratory medicine?

Veterinary laboratory medicine aims to apply scientific methods to the diagnosis of disease:

To establish an aetiology

To establish a prognosis

To monitor response to therapy

What is veterinary laboratory medicine?

Veterinary laboratory medicine aims to apply scientific methods to the diagnosis of disease:

To establish an aetiology

To establish a prognosis

To monitor response to therapy

In industryTo detect pharmacological effects or toxicological damage

What do veterinary laboratory scientists do?

Analysis of fluid samplesBlood, urine, cerebrospinal fluid, pleural fluid, peritoneal fluid, synovial fluid, fine needle aspirates

Analysis of tissue samplesBiopsy or post mortem tissues

What do veterinary laboratory scientists do?

Analysis of fluid samplesBlood, urine, cerebrospinal fluid, pleural fluid, peritoneal fluid, synovial fluid, fine needle aspirates

Analysis of tissue samplesBiopsy or post mortem tissues

Working closely with veterinary surgeons, pathologists (and toxicologists in industry)

Specialities within veterinary laboratory medicine

Haematology

Specialities within veterinary laboratory medicine

Haematology

Clinical chemistry

Specialities within veterinary laboratory medicine

Haematology

Clinical chemistry

Microbiology

Specialities within veterinary laboratory medicine

Haematology

Clinical chemistry

MicrobiologyVirology

Specialities within veterinary laboratory medicine

Haematology

Clinical chemistry

MicrobiologyVirology

Bacteriology

Specialities within veterinary laboratory medicine

Haematology

Clinical chemistry

MicrobiologyVirology

Bacteriology

Parasitology

Specialities within veterinary laboratory medicine

Haematology

Clinical chemistry

MicrobiologyVirology

Bacteriology

Parasitology

PathologyPost mortem work

Specialities within veterinary laboratory medicine

Haematology

Clinical chemistry

MicrobiologyVirology

Bacteriology

Parasitology

PathologyPost mortem work

Histology

Specialities within veterinary laboratory medicine

HaematologyClinical chemistryMicrobiology

VirologyBacteriologyParasitology

PathologyPost mortem workHistologyImmunohistology

What does the working day involve?

Preparation and examination of blood smears and other fluid samples

What does the working day involve?

Preparation and examination of blood smears and other fluid samples

Cross-matching blood samples for transfusion

What does the working day involve?

Preparation and examination of blood smears and other fluid samples

Cross-matching blood samples for transfusion

Chemical analysis of blood, urine and other fluid samples

What does the working day involve?

Preparation and examination of blood smears and other fluid samples

Cross-matching blood samples for transfusion

Chemical analysis of blood, urine and other fluid samples

Bacterial culture, virus isolation and/or PCR for infectious disease diagnosis

What does the working day involve?

Preparation and examination of blood smears and other fluid samplesCross-matching blood samples for transfusionChemical analysis of blood, urine and other fluid samplesBacterial culture, virus isolation and/or PCR for infectious disease diagnosisExamination of parasitology samples (skin scrapings, faecal samples)

What does the working day involve?

Preparation and examination of blood smears and other fluid samplesCross-matching blood samples for transfusionChemical analysis of blood, urine and other fluid samplesBacterial culture, virus isolation and/or PCR for infectious disease diagnosisExamination of parasitology samples (skin scrapings, faecal samples)Preparation of tissue sections for histology and immunohistochemistry

What does the working day involve?

Preparation and examination of blood smears and other fluid samplesCross-matching blood samples for transfusionChemical analysis of blood, urine and other fluid samplesBacterial culture, virus isolation and/or PCR for infectious disease diagnosisExamination of parasitology samples (skin scrapings, faecal samples)Preparation of tissue sections for histology and immunohistochemistryPerforming necropsies in industry

What qualifications are needed?

Degree in biological science

On the job training or previous experience

What qualifications are needed?

Degree in biological science

On the job training or previous experience

A BSc degree enables entry at a more senior level

How does a career in veterinary laboratory medicine develop?

Head of laboratory

Laboratory scientist(BSc)

Research and development

(PhD)

Junior technicianLaboratory aide

BSc Graduate

Veterinary Diagnostician

(MRCVS)

Where do veterinary laboratory scientists work?

Where do veterinary laboratory scientists work?

In university laboratories: e.g. RVC

Where do veterinary laboratory scientists work?

In university laboratories: e.g. RVC

In government laboratories: e.g. VLA

Where do veterinary laboratory scientists work?

In university laboratories: e.g. RVC

In government laboratories: e.g. VLA

In commercial laboratories: e.g. IDEXX

Where do veterinary laboratory scientists work?

In university laboratories: e.g. RVC

In government laboratories: e.g. VLA

In commercial laboratories: e.g. IDEXX

In pharmaceutical companies and contract research organisations: e.g. GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, AZ, Covance, HLS

How do I get more information?

ksmith@rvc.ac.uk

cscudamore@rvc.ac.uk

http://www.abpi-careers.org.uk/

http://www.ibms.org/

Work experience placements

Any questions?