dvm vs phd

[Wisp]

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Hey everyone, I was just wondering why everybody here with a research interest is choosing to go with the dvm. Ie, why you think the dvm would help you more, pros and cons, how it helps you better in your particular field more than a phd would, ect ect.

Myself, I'm a poultry interest with a research background in nutritional immunology... and now I'm not really sure which direction (or both , lol) would be better. So I just wanted to see what other people thought of it in relation to their own interests...

 

[AuburnPreVet]

I could be wrong but I think those here on the DVM forum that have "research" interests have CLINICAL research interests which really requires a DVM or very close collaboration with a DVM. I guess the ideal situation is a dual DVM/PhD program for those wanting to do clinical research.

 

[wildfocus]

i'll be starting a dvm/phd program, and most definitely do not want to do clinical research. interested in academic field research instead and need medical background to be able to understand how diseases affect individuals systemically and to be able to diagnose and treat where indicated -- ultimately want to apply to my research in wildlife and zoonotic diseases.

 

[AuburnPreVet]

I guess my definition of 'clinical' is broader than yours.
I lump anything that deals with disease identification/diagnosis into the category of clinical as opposed to more basic science research (which still has a clinical basis) or theory development, etc.

I work in research but don't plan on going into research -- so, you're probably right... :0)

 

[kate_g]

I'm not really sure which direction (or both , lol) would be better.

Why the scaredy face? I'll have a PhD before I start my DVM. If you know starting out that you're interested in both things - I didn't - then a dual program might be a great way to go. Some schools' dual programs only fund you for the PhD portion, and you've got to pay tuition for your DVM years. But some schools (Penn? I wasn't looking for that so I don't know them off-hand) fund the whole shebang - no debt!

 

[nyanko]

Does anyone have experience with UC Davis's PhD/DVM program? I am moving to Davis from Orlando, FL in September when my boyfriend starts the Computer Science PhD program and I planned on applying to the Genetics Graduate Group PhD program for Fall 2008. Can I even do a PhD in Genetics along with a DVM degree? I don't know how they do in-state classification but I will have lived there for a whole year without going to school by the time I apply.

Ideally I want to research canine genetic diseases, but I know that the funding is mostly in other types of veterinary genetics research and would probably need to do the dog research on the side..

 

[QTkitty]

Hi! totally off topic as I don't know a thing about any DVM/PhD programs but I just wanted to say...
I <3 Mahoro 😍

 

[wildfocus]

Does anyone have experience with UC Davis's PhD/DVM program? I am moving to Davis from Orlando, FL in September when my boyfriend starts the Computer Science PhD program and I planned on applying to the Genetics Graduate Group PhD program for Fall 2008. Can I even do a PhD in Genetics along with a DVM degree? I don't know how they do in-state classification but I will have lived there for a whole year without going to school by the time I apply.

Ideally I want to research canine genetic diseases, but I know that the funding is mostly in other types of veterinary genetics research and would probably need to do the dog research on the side..

hi - there are two ways you can do this at davis... as a "double major" student or as a vstp student. in either case, you have to apply to both the graduate group and the vet school. some graduate groups won't accept you unless you have a mentor, so best to get one lined up as early as possible. if you do the double major route, you will be paying for both programs (or just the dvm if your phd is sponsored). as a vstp, both programs are paid for (note - you also have to apply to the vstp program specifically when you send in your vet application).

rumor has it that this last year only 2 people were taken into the vstp program. i was told, too, that current dvm students are more competitive than newbies.

as for genetics specifically - you can do genetics as a double major OR as a vstp student. the vstp's can pretty much get their phd's in anything.

davis is really awesome - best of lucK!

 

[nyanko]

Thank you for the replies. (I'm counting the Mahoro love as a reply too 😉 )

Not to sound arrogant but I shouldn't have a problem getting into Davis's Genetics PhD grad group as my undergraduate mentor/adviser/research PI has collaborated and worked with a lot of people there and my application will probably be noticed (my credentials match up well with or exceed those of their admitted PhD students too, don't worry). I also plan on trying to get a post undergraduate researcher position in a lab at UC Davis from Fall 2007-Summer 2008, preferably in the animal genomics area but I can't be too picky!

I should get funded for the Genetics PhD, so if I do them separately that means I would have to pay for the DVM assuming I got admitted to that (I'm not as sure about that one haha!) unless I got into the supercompetitive VSTP program then, hm?

 

[StealthDog]

Minnesota does their dual degree program so that you get funded partially for your DVM. You pay for your first two years of your DVM, then you stop your DVM for two years to start your PhD, which they fund, then you do two years of both programs simultaneously, which they also fund. So you pay for two years of the DVM and the school funds your second two years, plus your whole PhD. I think only one person in my class is going the dual degree route.