Veterinary Clinical Pathology Residency Program

Why Train at Tufts?

• Training in an academic veterinary diagnostic laboratory embedded within a multispecies teaching hospital environment.
• Close mentorship from ACVP board-certified clinical pathologists and collaboration with anatomic pathologists, clinicians, laboratory professionals, and researchers.
• Strong exposure to hematology, clinical chemistry, cytology, urinalysis, coagulation, laboratory quality, and applied diagnostic research.
• Opportunities to teach D.V.M. students, participate in rounds, present cases, and contribute to scholarly work.
• A small-program environment with individualized mentoring, progressive diagnostic responsibility, and intentional board preparation.

Training and Educational Focus

Residents receive intensive training in hematology, clinical chemistry, coagulation, cytology, urinalysis, fluid analysis, and laboratory quality assurance and quality control. Additional experience includes surgical biopsy interpretation, bone marrow evaluation, flow cytometry, immunocytochemistry, molecular diagnostics, digital pathology, biostatistics, laboratory instrumentation, and laboratory management.

Diagnostic service duties include review and interpretation of cytopathology, hematology, urine, fecal, coagulation, and serum biochemical testing results, as well as consultation with clinicians and support of laboratory personnel. Residents are expected to be on duty for diagnostic service approximately 40% to 55% of the year, depending on training year and duty schedule.

What Residents Do

During the program, residents are expected to:

• Perform diagnostic work in the clinical pathology service and, to a lesser extent, participate in biopsy/surgical pathology training.
• Participate in after-hours service once an appropriate level of competence has been attained.
• Participate in journal clubs, clinical pathology rounds, cytology-histology correlate sessions, chemistry rounds, and other pathology or specialty rounds.
• Complete an online and/or in-person course in bone marrow evaluation.
• Contribute to D.V.M. training through clinical rotation teaching, laboratories, case discussions, and selected didactic teaching.
• Participate in collaborative and/or primary scholarly activity, with the goal of developing a peer-reviewed publication.
• Present a poster, platform presentation, seminar, or case presentation at a national or international meeting.

Research and Scholarly Activity

Residents are strongly encouraged to participate in collaborative research and to develop primary clinical pathology-related scholarly work under faculty mentorship. Research may be clinical or basic science in nature. Residents are encouraged to submit at least one peer-reviewed publication during the program, pursue relevant grants when appropriate, and present their work at the ACVP Annual Meeting or another national or international meeting.

Teaching

Residents contribute to teaching across the professional curriculum, including the fourth-year pathology rotation, clinical pathology laboratories, case discussions, rounds, and selected didactic sessions. Additional didactic teaching opportunities and mentorship are available for residents with demonstrated interest. Teaching responsibilities increase with experience and are supported by faculty mentorship.

Graduate Career Opportunities

Graduates of the Clinical Pathology Residency Program have gone on to positions in diagnostic laboratories, industry, academia, private consulting, and independent practice.

Application Requirements

Applicants must possess a D.V.M. or equivalent veterinary degree from an AVMA-listed institution and provide evidence of academic strength and commitment to a career in veterinary clinical pathology. Preference is given to applicants with post-doctoral clinical experience, such as completion of an internship, and/or research experience, such as a master's degree, Ph.D., or substantial scholarly activity.

Application materials should include:

• Curriculum vitae.
• Letter of intent describing career goals, interest in clinical pathology, and reasons for applying to the Tufts program.
• Class rank, provided via transcript, within the CV, or in a letter/email from the veterinary school.
• Names and contact information for three professional references.

References should be individuals familiar with the applicant's academic work, clinical training, research experience, or professional performance. At least one reference must be from an ACVP board-certified pathologist. Applicants are responsible for arranging for their references to submit letters directly to the department manager listed below by the application deadline. Reference letters should be submitted on official institutional letterhead.

International applicants are welcome to apply. Applicants whose native language is not English, or who have not graduated from an institution where the curriculum is taught in English, must also submit results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

Application Information

Application cycle: Summer 2026 for a July 2027 start date.
Application deadline for full consideration: October 1, 2026. (Applications received after this date may be considered until the position is filled.)

Application materials should be submitted to: denise.elwart@tufts.edu.

Application contact:
Denise Elwart (she/her/hers)
Comparative Pathobiology Department Manager
denise.elwart@tufts.edu

Program director:
Dr. Francisco O. Conrado (he/him/his)
Director, Clinical Pathology Residency Program
Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University
Cummings School Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory