The Emory University Division of Animal Resources (DAR) Veterinary Externship Program is designed to provide interested third and fourth year veterinary medical students the opportunity to experience the field of Laboratory Animal Medicine. Laboratory Animal Medicine is an AVMA-recognize specialty that combines clinical medicine, preventive medicine, pathology, recognition/development of animal models, regulatory oversight, and collaborative/independent biomedical research. The Emory University DAR oversees all aspects of laboratory animal care on campus. Species typically maintained include mice, rats, gerbils, hamsters, guinea pigs, spiny mice, ferrets, rabbits, amphibians, fish, finches, and pigs. Students will observe and participate in the many of the daily responsibilities of a laboratory animal veterinarian primarily by shadowing the current residents and through interactions with the faculty veterinarians. The student will gain knowledge in the following areas:

• Proper handling, restraint, and associated techniques used in working with laboratory animal species
• Diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases in laboratory animals
• Anesthetic management and perioperative care of laboratory animals
• The basic tenets of regulatory oversight
• Typical laboratory animal species and their anatomy, physiology
• Animal models of human disease
• IACUC function