There’s a national shortage of pathologists in veterinary diagnostic laboratories.
A program in the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory is designed to help alleviate that shortage, particularly in food animal-focused diagnostic pathologists.
Dr. Hannah Seger is a perfect fit for this program.
“I am passionate about food animal pathology because it allows me to make an impact at the population level,” Seger said. “Diagnostic pathology in food animals is not just about individual cases, it’s about safeguarding entire herds that producers and, ultimately, the public depend on.
“This broader influence on agriculture systems and the food supply chain is what excites me most about this career path.”
Seger started her anatomical pathology residency in the VDL earlier this summer after earning both her DVM and PhD from Kansas State University. She’s no stranger to Ames, having done a postdoctoral fellowship with the Oak Ridge institute for Science and Education (ORISE) at the USDA National Animal Disease Center in the Virus and Prion Research Unit.
The ISU VDL recently received a three-year, $250,000 USDA-NIFA Veterinary Service grant to fund the anatomical pathology residency. The VDL partners with Iowa State’s Department of Veterinary Pathology in the training.
“The ISU VDL is uniquely positioned to offer this training given our high caseload in swine, poultry and bovine relative to most traditional anatomic pathology residencies,” said Dr. Eric Burrough, professor of veterinary diagnostic and production animal medicine.
That’s a perfect fit for Seger.
“I’m interested in working across all food animal species because each presents unique diagnostic challenges and learning opportunities,” she said. “Each case presents its own unique history and challenges, and I enjoy applying the skills I’m developing alongside the guidance of my mentors at the VDL to help solve these complex problems.”
Seger’s PhD program focused largely on epidemiology and she worked in Kansas State’s Center for Outcomes Research and Epidemiology. Her dissertation was on social contact and agent-based modeling applications for Escherichia coli transmission in feedlot cattle.
“During my graduate work I was also able to participate in many unique opportunities including presenting my work at national and international platforms,” she said.
December 2025