Resident Training Program in Veterinary Anatomic Pathology - Zoo & Wildlife Pathology Track

Location

Year 1 & 2: William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (VMTH), University of California, Davis, CA
Year 3: San Diego Zoo, San Diego, CA (requires relocation)

Program Goals
The UC Davis Weill School of Veterinary Medicine and San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance (SDZWA) jointly offer a residency program in veterinary pathology designed to prepare candidates for careers in academia, zoological parks and aquaria, conservation organizations, or wildlife agencies that require certification by the American College of Veterinary Pathologists (ACVP) by combining two years of general anatomic pathology training at the University of California, Davis, and one year of specialized training in zoo/wildlife pathology at the San Diego Zoo. After three years of training under the guidance of board-certified diplomates (ACVP and ECVP), candidates are expected to take the ACVP certifying examination.

Pursuit of a PhD after pathology training is not required but is encouraged for residents with interests in research-oriented careers, particularly those involving endangered species conservation and management. Advanced degree training can further develop expertise in applying veterinary pathology to complex biological and ecological contexts.

Program Description: Years 1 and 2
The first two years of the program are based in the VMTH Anatomic Pathology Service at the University of California, Davis, covering necropsy and biopsy service (see Overview: Resident Training Program in Veterinary Anatomic Pathology). One faculty member and one emeritus faculty have specific expertise in zoo and wildlife pathology and provide specialty consultation on relevant cases.

For residents in the Zoo and Wildlife Pathology track, participation in specialty rounds is an important component of training. Attendance at Zoo and Wildlife Pathology Rounds is mandatory for first-year track residents to ensure strong foundational exposure to species-specific pathology and case discussions. Second-year Zoo and Wildlife Pathology track residents assume a leadership role by organizing and coordinating Zoo and Wildlife Pathology Rounds on the first and third Thursdays of each month during the spring and fall semesters. This structure promotes progressive responsibility, advanced case engagement, and development of organizational and teaching skills within the specialty area.

Pathologists from the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratories, the Center for Comparative Medicine, the Comparative Pathology Laboratory, and the National Biomedical Research Institute also participate in seminars and are available for consultation. Zoo and Wildlife Track residents are encouraged to pursue a zoo- or wildlife-focused project, which may include case material from San Diego in collaboration with SDZWA pathologists beginning as early as Year 1.

Year 3 Training at San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
The final year of the program is spent in SDZWA’s Disease Investigations group, where residents gain focused exposure to zoo and wildlife species. Residents participate in necropsy, biopsy, and cytology services under the supervision of five board-certified (ACVP) pathologists. Case material includes a wide variety of non-domestic birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, fish, and invertebrates from the San Diego Zoo, the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, collaborative field conservation and research programs, and statewide wildlife mortality investigations submitted by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Residents have opportunities to participate in weekly conferences, monthly morbidity and mortality rounds with clinical veterinarians and animal care staff, and weekly pathology seminars at the nearby UC San Diego Medical Center.

Background: San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Pathology Program
SDZWA administers two zoological campuses—the San Diego Zoo in Balboa Park and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido—as well as the Beckman Center for Conservation Research. These campuses collectively care for nearly 8,000 mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates, many of which are endangered species.

Extensive archival resources are available, including histopathology and cytology slides, paraffin blocks, formalin-fixed tissues, frozen tissues, and serum collected over more than 80 years. Pathology reports and animal records dating from 1983 to the present comprise a comprehensive biomedical database. These resources support both diagnostic service and retrospective research.

The Disease Investigations group maintains a fully equipped molecular diagnostic laboratory supporting diagnostic testing and investigative research in infectious diseases, epidemiology, and environmental toxicology. The group participates in the Joint Pathology Center Wednesday Slide Conference and is a Davis-Thompson Foundation Study Site.

Disease Investigations is part of the Wildlife Health branch within SDZWA’s Conservation Science and Wildlife Health pillar, which also includes Veterinary Services at both campuses, a Nutrition Department, and a Clinical Laboratories Department. Close collaboration with scientists at the Beckman Center for Conservation Research provides additional expertise in recovery ecology, plant conservation, population sustainability, conservation genetics, community engagement, reproductive sciences, and biobanking.

Additional information can be obtained by contacting Dr. Steven Kubiski, Director of Disease Investigations ([email protected]), or Dr. Shotaro Nakagun, Residency coordinator ([email protected]).