I Need Some Opinions

[bigfoot777]

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I just wanted to get some input because I'm having a really hard time deciding what to do here. I've applied to veterinary school once, didn't get in and now I'm trying to improve my application with experience and a MS.
I applied to an MPH program at a local school and have been accepted. It's a two year program with 45 credit hours. I applied to this for two reasons, one to get into veterinary school, and two to have a great back-up plan in case vet school doesn't work out (i really hope this doesn't happen ).
My supervisor at work has found an online Master of Laboratory Animal Science at Drexel University. She really wants to do it together. It costs me about the same but the Lab Animal Science degree has more science courses.
Now, I still have to be accepted to Drexel so this whole dilemma may be irrelevant if I end up applying to Drexel. What do you guys think would be better for my application? I don't think I want to be a Public Health Veterinarian but things change. Right now, I'm only concerned with getting into vet school.

 

[bunnity]

I would not recommend an MPH if you're not into public health. I think it would be boring for you and somewhat unfair to the MPH professors / other students if you were only there to look good on your application. Vet school interviewers would definitely ask you about it and probably would think it was weird that you didn't actually like public health but did a master's in it anyway. Likewise I don't think you should do a MLAS if you're not into lab animal med. I would instead recommend the VMS program at Drexel that is geared more toward general veterinary studies - seems like you would be happier doing that and that it would be a more appropriate choice given your goals and interests.

 

[athane960]

As Bunnity said, I would caution about getting an MPH if you don't want to be a public health veterinarian and are just doing it to get into vet school. It is hard work, having to do alot of statistics and computer programs. I went into my MPH thinking I would learn only about infectious diseases and the like and was shocked at the whole realm of epidemiology. Plus if it is a thesis MPH, be double sure you know what you are doing.

MPH'rs out in the work force are becoming quite common. Jobs are getting less and less and you are most likely to hit a career ceiling unless you have a PhD, DrPH, DVM, MD or a nursing degree. Just an insider's look.

Also, not trying to be discouraging but an online Lab Animal Master's Degree?? I am not totally agains online degrees and I think they do have their place, but I would be caution about this. A master's in this area seems like it should be more hands on . . but I dont know anything about the program so I could be mistaken.

On the other hand, if you have completely researched having an MPH and the careers it can lead to, then by all means go for it. I love being an epidemiologist, and look forward to being one again when I graduate from vet school just at a completely different level.

P.S. I just looked up the MLAS on Drexel and it does look like a good course, so please disregard my comments about it.

 

[DachshundsVet]

I am actually the class representative for the MLAS Program Class of 2010. I only applied to Penn when I applied two years ago, and when I was rejected, I was actually told to look into the MLAS Program. It is a wonderful program and presently there are 10 students in my class TOTAL that ALL want to be veterinarians (large, small, lab animal, etc..). The adviser of the program is a veterinarian and has various "connections" with veterinary school admissions, especially Penn. If you do well in the program, and I mean by well, receive mostly "A"'s, you will not have much of a problem getting into veterinary school according to the statistics of previous MLAS classes.

Also, I would do the MLAS program over the VMS Program. The VMS Program is more difficult to get in to and it is only a one-year certificate program. With the MLAS program, you are getting the benefits of a Masters Degree. I was accepted into the VMS Program and switched at the last minute because the director of the program encouraged the MLAS program more. This year, there were only 4 VMS Students and 3 of them are switching into the MLAS program, one was accepted to Penn.

I came out of undergrad with a 3.4 GPA and was told by Penn that it was not competitive enough for the application pool that they had that year. The MLAS Program seems to be Penn's solution to "proving yourself" to them that you can indeed handle the veterinary school curriculum. Now, also be aware that you need to make a decision before you start this program that you will not accept anything but A's and will be able to handle that pressure because if you do NOT do well, it WILL break you. I was one of the "lucky ones" I guess and I did do very well in the program. I am applying for veterinary school this year, so I am hoping I keep the percentage of acceptance into veterinary school from the MLAS program at 80%.

I am not very familiar with the online program. I actually did not even know that was an option. But I would suggest that you take a look at the program more and contact me if you want additional information or would like to contact my adviser/program director.

Best of luck! : )

 

[StillDreaming]

the MLAS program may be more beneficial. If you decide to do research, as a student, resident, or if you go into academia, this MLAS degree will be beneficial and the exposure can help. If you aren't into public health, don't do it, in my opinion, the MLAS program allows you to be more general and MPH is more specific, i could be very wrong and don't know much about either, but in my brief research of MPH programs and what some others have said about MLAS.

 

[bigfoot777]

First I want to thank you guys for your responses. They've been pretty helpful. I think I need to clarify some things though. I'm very much interested in research and have been for the last few years. I'm currently working in an animal research facility and I absolutely love it.

I applied to the MPH program because of two reasons. Number one being that if I don't get into veterinary school, I have a great career choice as a plan B. I don't want to be stuck where I am right now with a BS in bioveterinary science that means absolutely NOTHING to the research field. I don't know a lot about public health but I'm interested in the diversity it offers. The second reason I applied was because I've been rejected from all other schools I have applied to. In order to get to veterinary school, I have to do improve my gpa. Instead of just taking classes or doing a MS just to do an MS, I want to do something that I can actually use instead of wasting my money.