I want to work in veterinary public health, but does that mean I would definitely need a DVM alongside an MPH or would an MPH alone suffice. I've read this forum a lot and I noticed some people saying people with DVM/MPH tend to not use the MPH part as they can't find jobs using both. I was wondering if pursuing a DVM after grad school would be a worthwhile investment for wishing to work with zoonoses
The Public Health section on SDN might have more answers. Here's my perspective with an MPH and year 3 of the DVM, and planning on a PhD in Epi afterwards. Feel free to PM if you have some specific questions.
You might be able to find a job that uses both equally, but it's difficult. Public health veterinarian is one of those. Otherwise, you probably will be using one more than the other - either working in public health and using veterinary medicine to inform your understanding of disease process (what the animal's going through, ideas for treatment, and, yes, reinforcement of zoonotic diseases/food safety information) or working in veterinary medicine and using the MPH to inform herd/community health management (staying aware of outbreaks in the area, understanding herd vaccination and disease prevention strategies).
What do you want to do with zoonotic diseases? If you're interested in research, you should probably look at a PhD - it's necessary to go far in that area, and you can get paid a small stipend instead of going through $100K+ tuition. If you want to work in outbreak investigation or other fieldwork, I think a veterinary degree would be more competitive than a PhD.
It's OK to apply for and attend veterinary school without ever intending to enter private practice. I was interested in pathology and told the interview committee so, and I still got admitted in-state. However, you do need to provide a good reason why being a veterinarian is necessary for your career path.
Where are you in school now? If you're not in grad school yet, you could look at dual-degree programs that award both a DVM/MPH or DVM/PhD. These often pay for part of tuition and can save on time if you want multiple degrees. If you're in the MPH program now, or have one in your area, see if any of the professors have a DVM. They'll know more than me about what job opportunities are available with different degrees.
