Interview of Dr. Deepa Rao, a toxicologist and veterinary toxicologic neuropathologist

A brilliant interview of Dr. Deepa Rao by Esha. Dr. Rao is a board-certified toxicologist and veterinary pathologist with over 20 years of experience in the translation of chemical/drug toxicological data from animal studies to human health risk assessment. Dr. Rao received her veterinary degree from the Mysore Veterinary College in India in 1992, her PhD in toxicology from the University of Oklahoma in 2000 and completed her pathology residency training from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the National Toxicology Program at the National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences in North Carolina. Dr. Rao has work experience as a toxicologist and as a pathologist having served as a study director in preclinical toxicology at Covance Laboratories, as a toxicologic pathologist for the National Toxicology Program, as a regulatory toxicologist for the Food and Drug Administration, and as a bench neuropathologist at Tox Path Specialists. Dr. Rao continues to work as toxicologic neuropathologist through Greenfield Pathology Services, Inc. with a focus in regulatory neurotoxicity evaluations. Dr. Rao's recognized expertise in the field is evident through her numerous lectures, publications, awards, invited manuscript reviews, and participation in the National Toxicology Program Pathology Working Groups and FDA Advisory Committees. She currently serves as a councilor within the executive committee for the Society of Toxicologic Pathology. Dr. Rao is actively engaged in professional educational outreach activities through the Society of Toxicologic Pathology, the International Academy of Toxicologic Pathology to the global community of toxicologic pathologists, as well as partnering with local community groups that support science education to children.

Dr. Rao discusses her extensive work experience across a variety of organizations, education and training that prepared her for this, her career evolution, the best career decision she made, skills she gained, and any setbacks that turned out to be an advantage. Esha thoughtfully asks Dr. Rao about whether education or experience was more valuable in her career, what she wished she knew while in vet school about other career paths, the key value sets, personal attributes and soft skills that make veterinarians successful.