Laboratory animal medicine education and training in the uniformed services: a brief history

The history of laboratory animal medicine education and training for uniformed (U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Public Health Service) veterinarians is reviewed from the beginnings in 1961 at the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine. Of the 636 currently listed diplomates of the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine, at least 208 (32.7%) received specialty training or experience in this discipline while on extended active duty in one of the uniformed services. The evolving "climate" has led to the establishment of the most recent program within the uniformed services at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland.