DVM/PhD folks - what are your research interests?

[sorasea]

Now that apps are in and everyone can destress a bit over the holidays (I hope), I thought I'd ask.

If you applied to DVM/PhD programs, or are in one, what are your research interests? I've been browsing related threads and seeing mostly behavioral/repro/immuno stuff. I bet there's a wide range of interests among you, though, and I love hearing about the science people are passionate about. Also, are most of you planning on using your two shiny degrees to go into veterinary research and teaching?

For me, I'm applying next cycle and have yet to narrow down, but I've always loved neuroscience -- development, diseases, sensorimotor integration/disorders, and neural prosthetics. In another life, I'd teach myself to program and not fail my physics classes so I could work on brain-machine interfaces for quadriplegics with a prof at my undergrad. His lab sticks tiny electrode arrays into the parietal cortices of patients, which read the firing patterns of their movement intentions, interpret and send them to $500k robotic arms (with nearly all the degrees of freedom of a human arm), and move the arms based on their THOUGHTS. How cool is that?!?!

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[epivetlove]

I'm not a DVM/PhD'er, but I am in a PhD program and hope to pursue dual degree if I get accepted to vet school. I'm currently focusing my research on infectious disease epidemiology that pertains to wildlife. Next fall, regardless of vet school admission, I will be starting my field work on a project dealing with Lyme disease in East Texas. We're looking for what the main hosts are, when and where the ticks are located, what their scouting behavior is, and whether or not they are positive for B. burgdorferi (will do laboratory analyses and isolation). There's not a lot of information out there about the prevalence of the disease, so we don't have much to give hunters/campers/etc. on preventative measures other than your generic safety tips. My preference is for zoonotic infectious diseases, but I'm also interested in things like white-nose syndrome and chronic wasting disease. After DVM/PhD (either or both), I hope to get accepted to the CDC's EIS program, put in my 2 years, and then be incorporated into the CDC's NCEZID. I'd like to do a mix of field- and benchwork for my career and maybe later on (much later) teach at a university or vet school.

 

[T_Rose]

I'm interested in tox, and I'll probably go into research/teaching. There is a dual-degree student at my school planning to do research in Neuroscience, though. We have research in infectious disease (and research on ticks), but I'm not sure if any dual-degree student has chosen that area yet. It does exist as a possibility. I know some of the summer research students have, and they enjoyed it.

 

[Future_vet_Jewel]

I plan on applying to a combined DVM/Phd program next cycle depending on how my stats look. I am interested in research in equine reproduction and equine sport horse orthopedic medicine. I ideally I want to practice both medicine and conduct research.

 

[T_Rose]

I plan on applying to a combined DVM/Phd program next cycle depending on how my stats look. I am interested in research in equine reproduction and equine sport horse orthopedic medicine. I ideally I want to practice both medicine and conduct research.

Apply anyway regardless of what your stats look like. It's worth a shot. My stats weren't anything spectacular, and I got in. It usually doesn't cost anything extra to apply to a DVM/PhD program (Georgia is the only school I know of with extra fees, and that's because you also have to apply to a PhD program).

 

[Future_vet_Jewel]

Apply anyway regardless of what your stats look like. It's worth a shot. My stats weren't anything spectacular, and I got in. It usually doesn't cost anything extra to apply to a DVM/PhD program (Georgia is the only school I know of with extra fees, and that's because you also have to apply to a PhD program).

Thanks! I just need to put my big girl panties on and take my chances. It's just pretty intimidating Since the DVM/Phd programs are small and the competition of getting in is even greater. What vet school do you attend?

 

[Njnealon]

I'm in the middle of dvm phd interviews now! Message me and I can tell you about what I did to prepare. My interests are in animal nutrition, endocrine physiology and metabolism.! I worked in a neuro lab and we had those electrode things too. Used them on rats. Your research sounds really cool

Now that apps are in and everyone can destress a bit over the holidays (I hope), I thought I'd ask.

If you applied to DVM/PhD programs, or are in one, what are your research interests? I've been browsing related threads and seeing mostly behavioral/repro/immuno stuff. I bet there's a wide range of interests among you, though, and I love hearing about the science people are passionate about. Also, are most of you planning on using your two shiny degrees to go into veterinary research and teaching?

For me, I'm applying next cycle and have yet to narrow down, but I've always loved neuroscience -- development, diseases, sensorimotor integration/disorders, and neural prosthetics. In another life, I'd teach myself to program and not fail my physics classes so I could work on brain-machine interfaces for quadriplegics with a prof at my undergrad. His lab sticks tiny electrode arrays into the parietal cortices of patients, which read the firing patterns of their movement intentions, interpret and send them to $500k robotic arms (with nearly all the degrees of freedom of a human arm), and move the arms based on their THOUGHTS. How cool is that?!?!

 

[T_Rose]

Thanks! I just need to put my big girl panties on and take my chances. It's just pretty intimidating Since the DVM/Phd programs are small and the competition of getting in is even greater. What vet school do you attend?

Miss. State. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.