About the Program
The Department of Comparative Pathobiology in the College of Veterinary Medicine. Purdue University, offers three-year graduate instruction leading to the Master of Science (MS) or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees to persons possessing the DVM degree and to those with a baccalaureate degree and comprehensive training in the biological sciences. Areas of study include animal welfare science, human-animal interaction, cancer biology, infectious diseases, bacteriology, epidemiology, immunology, laboratory and experimental medicine, parasitology, pathology, public health, toxicology, virology, and molecular genetics. The College of Veterinary Medicine also offers two non-thesis MS programs, either in Anatomic Pathology or in Comparative Medicine: The non-thesis MS in Anatomic Pathology combines a three-year residency in anatomic pathology. The residency program is based in the Indiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (ADDL) and the Department of Comparative Pathobiology (CPB), with graduate study in pathology and other subjects leading to a non-thesis MS degree. The mission of the training program is to prepare veterinarians for careers in pathology in academia, government, industry, and diagnostics. Residents will develop an individual plan of study (POS) early in their program with the counsel of an advisory committee. The non-thesis MS in Comparative Medicine is recognized by the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine (ACLAM) as one that meets the training requirements for specialty board certification. Methods of instruction consists of a combination of didactic training, directed projects, and hands-on experience with all of the principal laboratory animal species, including primates, mice and other rodents, farm animals, small animals, as well as many others including fish, amphibians, and avian species. Training is provided at four different institutions, each with a unique staff and mission. These missions include basic medical research, veterinary research, production of research animals, production and care of animals in a farm setting, pharmaceutical discovery, and pharmaceutical safety testing. See below for the program requirements for the two non-thesis MS degrees, as well as specific course offerings within areas of study for the thesis MS. Program Website Program Requirements -Thesis
30 Credits RequiredRequired Courses (4-6 credits)
Thesis Research (6 credits)
Areas of Study (18-20 credits)
Students should choose an area of study, listed below, to fulfill remaining credit requirements. Animal Welfare
The core aim of the Animal Welfare program is to facilitate the well-being of animals through understanding and applying concepts pertaining to animal ethology, physiology, psychology, husbandry and management, ethics and economics. Related topics include: animal-assisted intervention, service animals, dog bite prevention, zoonotic diseases, and broken bonds between humans and animals. The course list below provides a sample for students seeking to focus their graduate program in Animal Welfare. Area of Study Website Human-Animal Interaction
The core aim of the Human-Animal Interaction program is to evaluate both the beneficial and adverse effects of interactions between humans and animals for both the human and animal counterparts. Related topics include: animal-assisted intervention, service animals, dog bite prevention, zoonotic diseases, and broken bonds between humans and animals. The list below provides a sample of appropriate courses for students seeking to focus their graduate program in Human-Animal Interaction. Area of Study Website Epidemiology and Public Health
The training program is designed to attract students with diverse professional, cultural, and geographical backgrounds. Students can be both graduate veterinarians as well as non-veterinarians. Non-veterinarians enrolled in the program have included biostatisticians, microbiologists, medical students, and economists with interests in the health of humans, animals, and the environment. Observational studies, clinical trials, infectious disease epidemiology, biostatistics, multivariate analysis, and biomedical ethics are among the subjects that are taught informal courses. In addition to the epidemiology and public health courses offered at Purdue University, courses in epidemiology, public health and biostatistics are available in summer programs offered by the schools of public health at other universities. The students may also select courses from other departments at Purdue University, including Animal Science, Statistics, Food Science, Foods and Nutrition, Biochemistry, Agricultural Economics, Health-Kinesiology and Leisure Studies, Health Sciences, Child Development and Family Studies and others. The faculty in these departments may also serve on the students’ graduate advisory committees. Area of Study Website Microbiology and Immunology
Research focuses on the understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of veterinary and human infectious diseases, basic and applied immunology, the development of novel diagnostic tests, therapeutics and methods to prevent infections and tissue inflammation. Investigations are conducted at the whole animal, tissue, cellular, and molecular levels and are supported by electron microscopy, flow cytometry, cell sorting, confocal microscopy (regular, multiphoton and superresolution), and whole animal imaging facilities within the college and throughout the campus. Microarray, bioinformatics, statistical analysis, histology, DNA-sequencing, metabolomics, nuclear magnetic resonance/CT, transgenic mouse facility, and other state of the art technologies are available on campus. The Indiana State Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory provides a significant resource in the practical training of individuals interested in specialty board certification, e.g. microbiology and pathology. Area of Study Website Program Requirements - Non-Thesis in Anatomic Pathology
30 Credits RequiredRequired Courses (16-24 credits)
Selectives List #1 (3 credits)
Choose at least 3 credits. Selectives List #2 (3-11 credits)
Choose from the courses below to fulfill remaining credit requirements. Additional Requirements
- Project requirement: All students participate in at least one hypothesis-driven research project and it must culminate in at least one oral or poster presentation preferably at a national or regional scientific meeting selected by student and his/her graduate advisory committee.
- Publication Requirement: First author publication, preferably a full-paper, in a refereed scientific journal. Manuscript must be published or submitted for publication before completion of residency. Examples of scientific publications:
- Results of laboratory investigation
- Prospective or retrospective case study
- PhD literature review
- Case report
- Students are encouraged to pursue a PhD research program after completion of the three year non-thesis MS/pathology residency program. Interested students should explore possibilities early in their residency program to establish a relationship with prospective PhD major professors. Salary and research funding are then sought by the prospective doctoral student and major professor.
Program Requirements - Non-Thesis in Comparative Medicine
30 Credits RequiredRequired Courses (30 credits)
Program Overview: The Indiana Collaborative in Laboratory Animal Medicine is a three-year program containing a blend of clinical rotations, seminars on laboratory animal subjects, formal academic didactic instruction, and mentored research. Trainees receive a stipend based on NIH recommendations (salary commensurate with education and experience). Each trainee will be assigned an advisor (who will be an ACLAM Diplomate) upon entering the program. Throughout the training period, trainees are encouraged to present research or case reports at regional and national meetings and to prepare these for publication. Year One and Two: During the first year, the trainee will select an advisory committee comprised of at least three other faculty and/or professional staff. Activities during the first two years consist of: - Clinical rotations (at each of the four institutions)
- Seminars on laboratory animal subjects
- Formal academic coursework
- Attend a national meeting related to laboratory animal medicine
Year Two or Three: Mentored research training takes place at the institution of choice for each trainee, typically in the second or third year depending on institution schedule. Program Website Concentrations
Optional departmental concentrations: - Comparative Epidemiology
- Lab Animal Medicine
- Veterinary Clinical Pathology
- Veterinary Microbiology
- Veterinary Parasitology
- Veterinary Pathology
Optional interdisciplinary concentrations: GPA Requirements
All courses listed on the approved plan of study must be completed satisfactorily (grade of “C” or higher.) No more than six credits of 30000 or 40000 level courses may be listed on the electronic plan of study. Graduate Programs Disclaimer
- The student is ultimately responsible for knowing and completing all degree requirements. Students should consult with their advisor/department for more information.
- Not all graduate programs may be actively recruiting students and course modality availability may vary.
- Please refer to the Explore Graduate Programs website for a list of currently available graduate programs.
- Transfer credit policy: Credits earned for graduate study at other universities (both domestic and international) may be applied toward an advanced degree. Only credit hours associated with graduate courses for which grades of B- or better were obtained will be eligible for transfer. Any additional conditions under which credit transfers may be made are determined by the various departments.
- Comparative information about Purdue University and other U.S. educational institutions is also available through the College Navigator tool, provided by the National Center for Education Statistics, and through the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
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