Teaching and learning are foundational principles of the Flint Animal Cancer Center. We offer several training opportunities for graduate students and veterinarians who wish to pursue an oncology specialty. Over the last thirty years, we have trained more veterinary oncology specialists than any other program in the world.
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Program
The Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Program at Colorado State University is the 3rd highest ranked program in the country, according to US News and World Report. This four-year lecture and clinical training program graduates approximately 140 new veterinarians annually. During the first two years, students learn through didactic laboratory and lecture sessions. In the third and fourth years, students rotate through the clinical services in the hospital, including the Oncology Service.
Please visit the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Program page for more information.
Veterinary Medical Oncology Residency Program
The Medical Oncology Residency Program at the Flint Animal Cancer Center provides specialty training for veterinarians. This highly competitive, ACVIM accredited three-year program is designed to provide advanced training in clinical oncology and cancer biology and is combined with a Master’s degree in Clinical Sciences. Residents receive training under the direction of the medical, surgical, and radiation oncology faculty. Additional training in basic scientific methods is also provided to prepare those interested in pursuing a career as a clinician-scientist.
For more information, please contact Dr. Jenna Burton.
Veterinary Medical Oncology Specialty Intern Program
The Medical Oncology Specialty Intern Program offers specialty training in medical oncology for veterinarians. This one year program is designed to provide advanced training in clinical oncology with an emphasis on learning the multimodal treatment approach to cancer in veterinary medicine. This Intern receives training under the direction of the medical, surgical, and radiation oncology faculty at the Flint Animal Cancer Center as well as training in clinical trial conduct. The goal is to prepare trainees for a medical oncology residency.
For more information, please contact Dr. Kate Vickery.
Veterinary Oncology Clinical Trials Fellowship Program
The Oncology Clinical Trials Fellowship Program is a two-year program designed for veterinarians who have completed a three-year ACVIM-approved residency in small animal oncology or ACVR-approved residency in radiation oncology. This program provides training and experience in the processes necessary to successfully initiate and carry out clinical trials. Responsibilities include management of the care of patients enrolled in clinical trials, completion of clinical trials-related documents, and recruitment of patients for enrollment in clinical trials. Opportunities are available for continuing education in the field of clinical research, including principles/practices of clinical research, ethical/regulatory aspects, and grant writing. Training will also be provided in creating study protocols and designing data capture forms.
The Clinical Trials service at the FACC is a very busy service, with 15-25 clinical trials open for enrollment at any time. More information about the clinical trials program and currently available clinical trials is available here.
For more information, please contact Dr. Kristen Weishaar.
Veterinary Radiation Oncology Residency Program
The Radiation Oncology Residency at Colorado State University is a three-year program designed to provide advanced training in radiation oncology. It is combined with a Master’s degree in Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences. Applicants for this three-year position must have completed an internship or have comparable clinical experience.
Residents are required to enroll in graduate school and take appropriate course work leading to a Master’s degree in Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences. Course work includes radiation biology, radiation physics, medical physics, cancer biology, and other related topics.
The Radiation Oncology service is part of the Flint Animal Cancer Center, which includes senior faculty, residents, post-doctorate fellows, and veterinary technicians. Three radiation oncologists and a full-time dedicated medical physicist support the program. The training program focuses on a comprehensive approach for the treatment of cancer in companion animals. The Flint Animal Cancer Center is unique in that medicine, surgery, and radiation therapy are available and are taught simultaneously.
For more information, contact Dr. Tiffany Martin.
Veterinary Surgical Oncology Fellowship
The Surgical Oncology Fellowship at the Flint Animal Cancer Center is a one-year clinical training appointment designed for veterinarians who have completed a three year American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS) approved residency in small animal surgery. Candidates should possess a strong interest in surgical oncology and research. This highly competitive fellowship provides training in the area of surgical oncology and aims to solidify the trainee’s knowledge of the application of surgery to comprehensive cancer treatment.
Compared to a general surgeon, a surgical oncologist has specialized training and current understanding of tumor biology and, importantly, the role of surgery in the multimodality treatment of cancer, particularly radiation therapy and chemotherapy, and clinical trials. Surgical oncologists treat a large volume of cancer patients and have experience in the management of both rare and common tumors.
Surgical oncology research at the Flint Animal Cancer Center includes limb-sparing, cortical allografts, bone morphogenesis, osteogenesis, infection, tumor markers, drug delivery systems, isolated limb perfusion, preclinical drug testing, pharmacology, gene therapy, oncogenesis, radiation therapy, pathology, and clinical oncology research. Clinical research projects are encouraged and supported as part of this program.
A position announcement is posted in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine and the Veterinary Surgery Journal November – January. Applications are due by February 1st of each calendar year.
For more information, please contact Dr. Deanna Worley.
Ph.D. in Cancer Biology
The Cancer Biology Graduate Program was created at CSU as a specialization within the Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Program. This highly competitive program bridges several departments and colleges across the university and is the first of its kind at a veterinary institution. Applicants for a Masters’s or Ph.D. degree must apply through the Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Program for training positions in Cancer Biology. The basic science and translational research activities of the program are closely linked with the clinical research and clinical trials programs of the Flint Animal Cancer Center. The program also enjoys strong links to the University of Colorado Comprehensive Cancer Center in Denver.
For more information, contact Dr. Doug Thamm.
Seeker Oncology Research Fellowship
The Seeker Oncology Research Fellowship is a two-year program that supports comprehensive research training for clinical specialists committed to an academic career. During the training program, the selected research fellow will take advantage of seminar series, grant writing workshops, course work, meeting with invited speakers, seeking opportunities for career counseling, and other enriching opportunities. The program also provides opportunities for participants to develop their skills through participation in clinical and diagnostic services. Research is expected to be conducted with an intensity and set of expectations similar to those of Ph.D. trainees and focused on laboratory studies or clinical investigation of hypotheses relevant to clinical disease.
Individuals who qualify for the Seeker Oncology Research Fellowship program are post-residency and board-certified or board-eligible oncology specialists in medical, surgical, and/or radiation oncology. Selections shall be made through an application process.
For more information, contact Dr. Doug Thamm.