Students doing an externship at Charles River Ashland will spend time learning about laboratory animal medicine as well as pathology. Working with the laboratory animal veterinarians, they will observe surgeries and/or treatments of laboratory animal species including but not limited to canines, rodents, and non-human primates. Additionally, students will spend time in necropsy observing post mortem examinations on these species. Time spent in pathology will include independent review of current and/or past study material followed by discussion with study pathologists over findings including common background lesions in laboratory animal species. Additionally, the student will spend time in the clinical pathology department discussing various laboratory tests and reviewing study material. Time permitting, the student will have an opportunity to interact with study directors to learn about study design at prestudy meetings.
As a large contract research organization, the student will have sufficient oversight and will have the opportunity to observe state of the art laboratory equipment.
During the externship period, the student is expected to be in attendance during normal day time working hours (35-40 hours per week). When working with live animals, the student would be mostly observing, with the possible exception of terminal procedures as well as some laboratory animal handling and cecal/tape testing. There will be a moderate amount of self-study with guidance from the pathologists as the students review study material (glass slides as well as animal data including organ weights and clinical pathology).
Housing is very limited and must be arranged well in advance. The housing is free and it is NOT pet friendly.