Veterinary Clinical Sciences (Graduate Program)

Program Overview

Located in the School of Veterinary Medicine, the graduate academic and research program of the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences offers a dynamic environment to prepare nationally competitive veterinary clinicians in research methodology for placement in advanced clinical, academic, and industrial research positions. Programs are designed to enhance skills in clinical research of direct application to animal and human disease. This area of emphasis is supported by departmental clinical expertise in anesthesia and analgesia, cardiology, dermatology, internal medicine,  small animal soft tissue surgery, basic and applied orthopedic surgery, integrative medicine and rehabilitation, emergency and critical care, equine medicine and surgery, food animal medicine and surgery, diagnostic imaging, medical oncology, radiation oncology, ophthalmology, pharmacology, zoo and exotic animal medicine, shelter medicine and theriogenology. The program draws on expertise in anatomy, bioengineering, biomechanics, biotechnology of infectious diseases, cell and molecular biology, bacteriology, environmental health science, epidemiology, immunology, parasitology, pathology, physiology, pharmacology, toxicology, and virology through the School of Veterinary Medicine umbrella program in graduate studies and in collaborative studies with other units on campus. Interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research is emphasized, and because of the wide array of immediate expertise, graduate programs are flexible to meet students’ needs.

Administration

Admission

Applications and supporting materials for all graduate study must be submitted through the online application site for the LSU Graduate School. Official transcripts, official test scores, and other materials that come from third-party sources must be mailed to: LSU Office of Graduate Admissions, 114 West David Boyd Hall, Baton Rouge, LA 70803. These paper documents are stored electronically, and departments have access to all materials submitted by and/or on behalf of a student applying to graduate study.

Applicants must have a DVM (or equivalent) degree or a bachelor’s degree. Applicants for combined residency/MS programs must apply through the Veterinary Intern & Residency Matching Program. Candidates for the combined residency/MS programs must have a DVM or equivalent degree; must have completed a rotating internship or equivalent training; and must submit a letter of intent, transcript of grades from veterinary school, and three letters of reference in accordance with the guidelines listed on the website. To qualify for the combined residency/MS program, applicants must satisfy all criteria for residency training and Graduate School admission, including GRE scores and English proficiency tests for foreigner applicants. 

Applications are accepted at any time but are evaluated only after all supporting documents and credentials (official transcripts, official GRE scores, Graduate School application for admission, application fee) have been received. Application should be initiated at least six months prior to anticipated entry. One of the graduate faculty members of the department must have accepted you as a student in his/her laboratory before admission will be considered.  

Unconditional admission to the Graduate School for MS and PhD programs requires that applicants score at least 300 on the GRE (verbal plus quantitative scores) and have an overall grade point average in veterinary or undergraduate school of at least 3.00 on an “A” = 4.0 scale. Foreign nationals from countries where English is not the first language must have a TOEFL score of at least 550 on the paper-based test or 79 on the Internet-based test, have an IELTS score of at least 6.5, or have a PTE score of at least 59 and meet standards of proficiency in English as required by the Graduate School.

Financial Assistance

The salary for combined residency/MS programs is listed on the Veterinary Internship & Residency Matching Program website. Stipends, fellowships, and assistantships from various sources are available on a competitive basis for master and doctoral students not enrolled in residency programs.

Facilities

The department supports a well-equipped veterinary referral hospital with specialty services in anesthesia; bird, zoo and exotic animal medicine; companion animal medicine; cardiology; companion animal soft tissue and orthopedic surgery; dermatology; emergency and critical care; equine medicine; equine surgery; food animal medicine; integrative medicine; medical oncology; ophthalmology; radiation oncology; diagnostic imaging; shelter medicine and theriogenology. The department has laboratories equipped for physiological research, cell biology, membrane physiology, PCR technology, gene expression, kinesiology, biomechanical testing, stem cell biology, and assisted reproduction. In addition, support from a full-capability gene research laboratory; cell and organ culture facilities; fluorescent activated cell sorting and analysis; cytokine, lymphokine and monoclonal antibody techniques; and a microscopy center with confocal and electron microscopy provide for diverse research endeavors. The department forms the base of the interdepartmental Equine Health Studies Program and is supported by well-equipped animal facilities. 

Graduate Faculty

(check current faculty listings by department here)

Frank M. Andrews (M) • Equine gastroenterology, intestinal physiology
Karanvir Aulakh (6A) • Companion animal surgery
Rose Baker (3P) • Equine internal medicine
Heidi Banse (6A) • Equine Internal Medicine (Physiology and Endocrinology)
Renee T. Carter (3P) • Ophthalmology
Ann Chapman (3P) • Equine infectious Diseases; Equine asthma
Jeannette Cremer (6A) • Anesthesiology
Shannon D Dehghanpir (3P) • Clinical pathology
Frederic P. Gaschen (M) • Companion animal gastroenterology, endoscopy
Alberto Gines (6A) • Small animal surgery
L. Abbigail Granger (M) • Diagnostic imaging
Andrea Johnston (6A) • Hepatobiliary disease, Molecular cell death signaling pathways
Britta Leise (6A) • Equine laminitis, inflammation and epithelial cell function
Mandi J. Lopez (M) • Comparative orthopedics
Charles McCauley (3P) • Equine surgery
Colin Mitchell (3P) • Equine surgery
Mark Mitchell (M) • Avian, zoo, and exotic animal medicine
Javier Nevarez (M) • Avian, zoo, and exotic animal medicine
Carlos R. Pinto (M) • Reproductive endocrinology; Assisted reproduction
Cherie M. Pucheu-Haston (M) • Dermatology and immunology
Patricia Queiroz-Williams (3P) • Veterinary anesthesiology and analgesia
Natalie Rademacher (M) • Diagnostic imaging
Laura M. Riggs (M) • Equine laminitis and inflammation
Ryan Smith (6A) • Emergency and critical care
Clare Scully (3P) • Analgesia; Assisted reproductive techniques in small ruminants
Jenny Sones (6A) • Pregnancy physiology
Joseph Taboada (M) • Small animal internal medicine, gastroenterology
Thomas N. Tully Jr (M) • Avian, zoo, and exotic animal medicine
Matthew G. Welborn (3F) • Food animal medicine and surgery
Sita S. Withers (6A) • Comparative cancer immunology

Recent Faculty Publications

Programs

• Teaching in the Healthcare Professions Graduate Certificate

• Biomedical and Veterinary Medical Sciences- Veterinary Clinical Sciences, M.S.

• Biomedical and Veterinary Medical Sciences-Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Ph.D.