Our Process For Advancing Veterinary Clinical Pathology Education
Laboratory Retrievers, LLC works to enhance the application of veterinary clinical pathology in companion animal veterinary practice. We accomplish this by identifying the following primary areas of focus:
Our Process For Advancing Veterinary Clinical Pathology Education
Laboratory Retrievers, LLC works to enhance the application of veterinary clinical pathology in companion animal veterinary practice. We accomplish this by identifying the following primary areas of focus:
Delivering Continuing Education to the Veterinary Team
We design, develop, and implement dynamic and integrated educational opportunities in the core elements of veterinary clinical pathology (hematology, clinical chemistry, urinalysis, and diagnostic cytology) that are selectively aimed at each member of the companion animal veterinary team, including:
- Veterinary Technicians/Nurses
- General Companion Animal Practitioners
- Interns and Residents
- Veterinary Clinical Pathology Specialists
Enhancing Large Scale Data Analysis
We collaborate with veterinary clinical pathology laboratories, diagnostics development companies, and a select group of epidemiologists to design an evolving series of studies that will attempt to maximize the information to be mined from the large amount of veterinary laboratory data currently being collected from companion animals nationwide/worldwide. Initially, the importance of data mining in monitoring pet health in relationship to breed, age, geographic distribution, etc., will be emphasized. More nuanced studies exploring relationships among test results for different analytes or following subtle changes in 1 or more analyte(s) over time will follow.
Educating Pet Owners
We cooperate with veterinary hospitals, veterinary diagnostic laboratories, and diagnostics development companies to create educational materials and programs to educate pet owners about the value of laboratory testing for their pets in a variety of circumstances (healthy, acutely ill, geriatric, pre-surgically, and so forth). Again, the importance of data mining to generate epidemiological studies of value to monitoring pet health regionally, nationally, by age, and by breed will also be emphasized. Educational materials may take the form of handouts, interactive websites, or in-person or virtual pet owner symposia.
Establishing a “Living Library”
We are partnering with the VCA Metzger Animal Hospital to develop an accessible resource comprised of glass slides, clinical case laboratory data, and digitized images. We envision a resource that can be accessed either remotely or on-site and will require the full-time services of one or more digital librarians. When fully organized and operational, the living library will be the only resource of its kind in the world.