Students selected to participate in WSU’s externship will be introduced to the anatomic pathology residency and graduate training program offered within the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (WADDL), the Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology (VMP), and the School for Global Animal Health. Students will interact with 10 to 12 resident pathologists, nine ACVP boarded pathologists, and other faculty members while participating in diagnostic necropsies, evaluating histopathology from necropsies and surgical biopsies, and interpreting immunohistochemical and electron microscopic studies.  Externs will follow a subset of cases to their conclusion through ancillary laboratories (bacteriology, virology, serology, parasitology, toxicology, aquatic health, and molecular diagnostics).  Our caseload includes domestic small animals, food animals, horses, camelids, exotics, fish, and birds submitted from WSU’s veterinary teaching hospital, regional practitioners, and local clientele as well as wild mammals and birds submitted by wildlife biologists.  In addition, externs will meet with residents in the combined training program and selected faculty to discuss current research projects in order to understand the ongoing research in immunology and infectious diseases within VMP and the School for Global Animal Health. 

Externs will be responsible for their own travel expenses and housing, though faculty members, residents, and veterinary students may be able to provide assistance in establishing temporary housing.  A stipend of up to $500 may be provided by the Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology to a limited number of interested externs.

Two to four week externships are available year-round with flexible start dates for students in good standing in their third or fourth year of veterinary training. No more than 2 externs will be accepted for the same period of time.  Applications will be accepted year round and should include CV, letter of intent, and unofficial transcripts.