What is CARE?

The Center for Animal Resources and Education (CARE) at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, sponsors an ACLAM-recognized laboratory animal medicine residency beginning in July each year. 

The objective of this 2.5 to 3-year residency program is to train graduate veterinarians for a career in laboratory animal medicine, research, and service by providing them with the knowledge and experience necessary to achieve certification by the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine. 

The academic home of this residency program is the Department of Biomedical Sciences in the College of Veterinary Medicine. Residents receive training to advance the humane care and responsible use of laboratory animals, including:

• Clinical diagnosis, treatment, and management of various species and models in biomedical and agricultural settings
• Research support, consultation, and services including surgical and anesthesia support and training, development of animal models, and implementation of reduction, replacement, and refinement strategies (3 Rs) when conducting research
• Knowledge of animal husbandry programs, occupational health and safety concerns, and regulations and standards about lab animal care
• IACUC responsibilities (with attendance at meetings and participation in inspections) and knowledge of animal welfare issues
• Design and completion of independent or collaborative research with subsequent first author publication in a peer-reviewed journal

The large size and diverse nature of the Cornell University animal resources program engage the resident in the many facets of laboratory animal medicine, as well as experience in the care and management of agricultural species. Additional training will include external rotations at a primate research center and/or pharmaceutical companies and academic institutions to gain hands-on primate experience. As part of our residency program, trainees will have the opportunity to rotate for up to 2 weeks with a world-class leader in medical device development. This rotation will provide exposure to the development and testing of medical devices including vascular grafts, endovascular and interventional devices, surgical meshes, sutures, and similar devices. By mutual agreement, the trainee may later participate in an additional externship to further develop skills in this area of expertise. This is a unique opportunity to explore a fascinating area of laboratory animal medicine and Good Laboratory Practices (GLP).

Cornell University is nestled in the beautiful Finger Lakes region of Upstate New York. This region of New York has miles of beautiful trails, waterfalls, campsites, and gorges. Residents of the city of Ithaca and the surrounding townships have access to Cayuga Lake’s waterways allowing a variety of activities including boating, kayaking, and fishing. Furthermore, Cayuga Lake is surrounded by 100+ wineries, cideries, and distilleries along with microbreweries and a vibrant downtown district in the heart of Ithaca. For more information on this region, go to www.visitithaca.com.

Cornell is participating in the Veterinary Internship and Residency Matching Program (VIRMP). Applicants to this program must complete their applications on or before the VIRMP set date on their website https://www.virmp.org/ to ensure that the program has ample time to schedule and complete interviews with prospective candidates. As this deadline is distinct from other residency specialties participating in the VIRMP you should contact your references and registrar to ensure they submit their letters of support and your transcripts ahead of the deadline.

For additional information, please go to: https://www.aclam.org/LAMTraining/.

Questions or comments? Contact Dr. Glenn Jackson at (573) 427-7272 or gaj49@cornell.edu.