Jonathan Samuelson: Veterinary Pathologist

When Jonathan Samuelson was growing up in the Massachusetts 4-H program, he thought he might want to work directly with animals. And after several degrees and a great deal of specialized training, he is…sort of. Jonathan currently works as a Veterinary Anatomic Pathologist and a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He shared his profession with Massachusetts 4-H’ers as part of the Career Exploration Series earlier this year.

Jonathan grew up in Athol and moved to Charlton in high school. He became involved with Massachusetts 4-H, specifically with the dairy program and the High Hopes 4-H Club. He participated in 4-H for ten years, following other members of his family, including his brother Andrew, who is the current 4-H Animal Science Departmental Assistant.

Jonathan credits Massachusetts 4-H for laying the foundation for his future career. ”4-H Dairy was formative for my love of animals and understanding how to take care of animals. I really enjoyed my friends and the comradery. I also liked the program’s structure”  said Jonathan. “I liked both the people and participating in the 4-H fairs…having 4-H be a part of my youth was great.”
Jonathan initially planned to be a veterinary technician, due to his interest in animals, science, and biology.  life took him along a different path. He worked at a pharmaceutical company that genetically modified goats to produce human proteins in goats’ milk for use in medicine, all while earning his Bachelor’s degree in Veterinary Science at Becker College.

Jonathan then pursued his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, graduating from Virginia Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. After his second year of vet school, he attended a pathology conference, which “ignited a fire.”

Jonathan applied for pathology residencies after veterinary school, and did a three-year residency followed by a one-year internship, plus earned a master’s degree in Pathobiology, the mechanisms of disease, from the University of Illinois.

As a veterinary pathologist, Jonathan’s responsibilities are varied. He performs post-mortem examinations (also known as necropsies or autopsies) and examines surgical biopsies. In his examinations, he looks at samples both visually and through a microscope.

Jonathan’s responsibilities also include instructing veterinary students, interns, residents, and clients about pathology. Teaching ranks among his favorite duties. “You (the pathologist) are explaining things to everyone, because you’re often the only one who can put together the pieces of the entire disease process,” he said.

Whether 4-H’ers’ interests lie in the veterinary profession or the more specialized world of pathology, Jonathan advises hard work and an openness to possibilities. “I think not closing the door to other possibilities is great, because you may find interest in other areas of veterinary medicine” he explained.

Advocating for the pathology profession, Jonathan said that the job market is currently favorable to pathologists, offering the choice of working in academia, a diagnostic laboratory, or industry. He also emphasized the value that new doctors bring to the table. “Someone who is just starting out can see something differently from someone who has been studying and working for 20 years,” Jonathan noted.

Most importantly, Jonathan appreciates the impact veterinary pathologists make, whether training the next generation of pathologists or providing a client with a solution to a problem. “This profession is for those who want to get into animal disease problems and perform the hard work and research to arrive at solutions,” hsaid.