DVM/MPH a few questions...

[Maschka1]

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Ok I have been reading about the MPH/DVM program and it looks pretty interesting. I have always been kinda interested in epidemiology and diseases and I think this would be a neat tie in between two really cool degree programs. plus I could take the MPH classes closer to where I live now and have more then a summer to sell my house.
Here are my questions:
1) Is it more selective (since it is a combined degree)? or would it be slightly less selective since you start with the MPH classes?
2)I have no public health experience, only veterinary, will it look out of the blue to apply for the combined program?
3) it says you have to finish it in the 2nd year concurrent with your first year of DVM classes, is anyone doing this? what is your course load like? DVM curriculum looks rough enough, not sure how the pile more on???

thanks for your help and any additional info you wish to throw my way 😀

 

[BlacKAT33]

Ok so i dont have exact answers to your questions but i do have some things to say about this topic.

i think that different schools have different requirements for their MPH programs...by this i mean the time line. I remember in an old thread i mentioned how vmrcvm is setting up their new MPH program, and how you only do MPH classes for the second year...then drop down to one class (year) later when you start vet courses again. Someone said that other schools do the vet and mph courses at the same time. So, which school are you talking about? you may want to check different schools out. Also, not all school offer a duel degree with MPH.

For vmrcvm, MPH was definitely less selective. It sounded like they would just accept anyone. Now, i have no clue if this is because it is a brand new program...just starting this year, or if it is because i was in the Q&A session with all pre-vets so they assumed we would all qualify if we were competitive enough to potentially get into vet school. However, i'm not sure if all schools are like this. I'm also not sure if this was just the impressive i got during the Q&A session and they actually do turn people away..? Do you have any lab/research experience at all??

 

[Maschka1]

I was talking about CSU and no I dont have any lab/research experience. I am really interested in the program but I dont want to hurt my chances of being excepted to vet school by applying for this program. That is my main concern.

 

[parietal]

I was talking about CSU and no I dont have any lab/research experience. I am really interested in the program but I dont want to hurt my chances of being excepted to vet school by applying for this program. That is my main concern.

I can't really answer your questions about CSU's program, but I do know a couple of current CSU DVM students who are doing their MPH through Minnesota's program rather than through CSU. For one thing, it can be completed in the summers only (and mostly online) without requiring an additional year or any classes during the academic year.

As to experience, wherever you apply, you should definitely shadow some veterinary public health professionals at the very least. It will help you better understand the field, decide whether you are really interested in public health and maybe help narrow down your interests. All of the above will really help when you apply.

I don't know how CSU does it, but at Minnesota, the MPH has a separate application and requires acceptance to a DVM program. It's hard to say exactly how competitive it is: they used to take almost anyone who applied, but I believe it has gotten more competitive. Here, the MPH application in no way affects your DVM application.

Good luck! If you want any more information on the Minnesota's veterinary public health program, let me know. I've been really impressed.

 

[Maschka1]

Thanks a bunch for the info. I appreciate it!

 

[purplesaurus]

I can't really answer your questions about CSU's program, but I do know a couple of current CSU DVM students who are doing their MPH through Minnesota's program rather than through CSU. For one thing, it can be completed in the summers only (and mostly online) without requiring an additional year or any classes during the academic year.

What do the CSU DVM students do about the non-online courses? Travel to Minnesota for the summers? Or are they able to find equivalent courses elsewhere?

 

[parietal]

What do the CSU DVM students do about the non-online courses? Travel to Minnesota for the summers? Or are they able to find equivalent courses elsewhere?

Minnesota has a three-week Public Health Institute in late May/early June every year. All of the non-online classes needed for the MPH can be taken in two of these institutes. (The link above will take you to this year's offerings. They change a bit every year.) Non-Minnesotans usually stay in the dorms on campus or with a friend for the three weeks of classes.

Up to 14 credits can also be transferred from your DVM program. Considering the whole MPH program is 42 credits, that saves you up to a third off the total price/time of the program. Our credits are relatively inexpensive as well: $607 for each online summer credit and $727 for the Institute classes. I don't know how much Colorado's program is, but the CSU students said it was cheaper for them to do the MPH in Minnesota. But they were both out-of-state residents, I believe, so that may make a difference.

 

[purplesaurus]

Okay, that's neat. I am considering an MPH, but I'm not yet sure if it is for me. I like that I don't have to decide right now but would have an option to get started on it if I decided part-way through vet school.

 

[philomycus]

I'm in the joint program now at UF. We finish both degrees at the same time. Some courses count towards both degrees and we take the MPH courses in the summer. Ocassionally, there are electives that are in the spring or fall that we can also take. It seems there is a wide variety of ways this program is run at schools.

 

[parietal]

Okay, that's neat. I am considering an MPH, but I'm not yet sure if it is for me. I like that I don't have to decide right now but would have an option to get started on it if I decided part-way through vet school.

Yep, we have people in the DVM/MPH that start before their first year (like I did) and people who don't start until after they graduate. We also have an executive program for practicing vets.

Philomycus, how are you liking your program? Do you have to take any MPH courses during the school year that don't also count toward your DVM? I agree, there seem to be a variety of approaches to the joint degree...