Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, WA

Description of Elective Experience

Objectives:

Career:
> Gain exposure to the diverse career opportunities in aquatic animal medicine.
> Learn about job requirements, qualifications, and responsibilities for fish veterinarians working for natural resource agencies.

Clinical:
> Introduction to approaching hatchery site visits--general assessment, evaluation of fish rearing practices (incubation, ponding, juvenile rearing, adult broodstock holding), client rapport/education/communication, and preventative medicine opportunities.
> Be able to perform a comprehensive fish necropsy as well as commonly used diagnostic tests (bacterial culture, tissue samples for virology, cytology, FAT, ELISA, etc.).

Institutional and Educational Resources - staffing, equipment, etc.

Staffing:
> 1 veterinarian
> 4 AFS-certified fish pathologists
> 1 microbiologist

Equipment:
> Laboratory with cell culture capabilities, bacterial culture/identification/susceptibility testing, ELISA testing, FAT testing.

Student Responsibilities - what is expected of students in terms of hours, days of the week, shadowing or actual support?

Student will accompany veterinarian on hatchery visits and disease investigations. Student will establish a general assessment of the sites visited, be responsible for getting a clinical history and relevant information from hatchery staff, and then perform physical examinations/diagnostic tests/necropsies as needed, taking the lead but under the supervision of the veterinarian.

Student will spend any time not in the field assisting laboratory staff with running diagnostic tests and/or working on educational projects assigned by the veterinarian.

Supervisor
Dr. Nora Hickey
Website
https://nwifc.org/about-us/enhancement/fish-health-program/
Contact email
Address

6730 Martin Way E
Olympia, WA 98503
United States

Animal Type
Is student housing available?
Yes
Hours of supervision by a licensed veterinarian per week
40 hours
Global engagement opportunity
No
Related evaluations