Program Overview

Program Overview

The Doctor of Philosophy in Veterinary Science – Combined Anatomic Pathology Residency program is a research-focused degree that combines academic and professional training in veterinary pathology. The program is designed to provide students with a strong foundation in the basic sciences and advanced training in laboratory medicine, including detection and diagnosis of emerging and zoonotic pathogens.

Degree Description

The program's research and training programs are focused on immunology, epidemiology, and host-pathogen interactions at the molecular level of bacterial, parasitic, and viral infections of animals and humans. The academic research environment is enriched by integration of the Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, the School of Molecular Biosciences, the Paul G. Allen School for Global Health, the Washington State University Animal Health Research Center, and the USDA-ARS Animal Disease Research Unit.

Research Environment

Dissertation research is carried out under the direction of a highly collaborative research faculty internationally recognized for infectious disease research and who are experienced in mentoring trainees within state-of-the-art laboratories funded by federal agencies, including NIH, NSF, USAID, and USDA, non-profit research foundations such as The Wellcome Trust and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and other federal, state, regional, and private institutions and organizations.

Residency Training

The residency training occurs within the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (WADDL), a full-service veterinary diagnostic laboratory staffed by faculty of the Departments of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology and Veterinary Clinical Sciences. WADDL has three primary facilities, a primary full-service laboratory in Pullman, an Aquatic Health laboratory in Pullman, and an Avian Health and Food Safety Laboratory branch in Puyallup.

Faculty and Facilities

The faculty includes 12 ACVP- and ACLAM-certified pathologists with training focused on close interaction among faculty and trainees. The high-level surgical biopsy and necropsy case loads provide direct experiential learning and are supported by specialized pathology seminars.

Program Structure

Training is tailored to the individual's background and career goals, with the proviso that a strong basic sciences foundation is indispensable in preparation for disease research. Core knowledge is advanced through regularly scheduled research seminars, special research seminar series, and through directed readings with the Graduate faculty. Mentored laboratory research is the most critical part of the training and the strength of our program.

Admission Requirements

• DVM (or equivalent professional degrees; e.g., VMD, BVSc, BVM)

Program Details

• Graduate Students in Program: 35
• Students Receiving Assistantships: 35
• Priority Deadlines:
  • Fall Rolling Deadline
  • Spring Rolling Deadline
• Campus: Pullman
• International Student English Proficiency Exams:
  • 7.0 IELTS Minimum score
  • 550 TOEFL Minimum score
  • 80 TOEFLI Minimum score
  • Letters of recommendation

Graduate Program Overview

The goal of the program is to provide students with a strong background in all aspects of laboratory medicine, including detection and diagnosis of emerging and zoonotic pathogens. The program is designed to prepare students for careers in research, academia, and industry, with a focus on infectious disease research and veterinary pathology. The final PhD examination is preceded by a public presentation of the research, attended by the faculty, graduate students, and post-doctoral fellows, followed by an oral examination. The publication of original research in leading international scientific journals is required for and constitutes the PhD dissertation.