Oregon State University

[hoodle]

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I was wondering what y'all thought about OSU (not Ohio - Oregon). I know its fully accredited, and they say in the PDF from aavmc that they're tripling their faculty, or something. My impression is that they're on the up and up... but I don't know what their current facilities are, etc, given that it is only RECENT accreditation. Can any current students talk about their education at OSU, or can people who've visited or researched that program give a blurb about it?

Thanks for your help!

 

[wildfocus]

I was wondering what y'all thought about OSU (not Ohio - Oregon). I know its fully accredited, and they say in the PDF from aavmc that they're tripling their faculty, or something. My impression is that they're on the up and up... but I don't know what their current facilities are, etc, given that it is only RECENT accreditation. Can any current students talk about their education at OSU, or can people who've visited or researched that program give a blurb about it?

Thanks for your help!

OSU is slowly getting better and better. i know they are serious about becoming a competitive west cost school (as in giving $$ where needed). i think it is a great school if you want to stay on the west coast and ucd, wsu, and western are not what you are looking for. research is outstanding there, and i know they are considering a dvm/phd program (but it is in the conception stage, so no real details yet). the OSU faculty is reputed to be outstanding as well. i would check it out if you are interested, and not let the fact that they are young deter you (afterall, all of the west is relatively young). and accreditation is accreditation - you will still become a vet if you go there.

 

[hoodle]

Hey wildfocus, thanks for your input. That's sort of what I thought - that often schools who are actively improving programs have really exciting, fresh, and up-to-date curricula and so one shouldn't be detered. I know you know my situation in a broad sense but here's more detail - I'd be interested in your opinion!

So as you know, I want to do DVM/Phd work or similar (maybe DVM/MPH or maybe seperate DVM and then PhD afterwards). My hesitation is in planning my life, as a veterinarian/zoonosis/public health/microbiologist, with my girlfriend, who's interested in climate change, oceanography, environmental microbiology, and geochemistry. This will be possible, but it's difficult, so I'm really trying to look at all options!

OSU has an incredible oceanography department, one of the best in the country, which is exciting for my sig. other. Davis, on the other hand, though perhaps my top choice in the whole country, does not have the strength in ocean and marine sciences, though does have a good geology and good microbiology department. AND its out of state and extremely competitive. Soo... OSU is really an interesting option for the two of us. Western and WSU are both not what we're looking for - WSU has no real strenghts in Lizzy's interests, and Western (though close to UCLA) does not interest me.

Our top choices are:
1) Tufts for me, MIT/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute joint program for her
2) Cornell/Wisconsin/Oregon State/Davis
3) most of the other places I applied (North Carolina State for me, Duke for her; U Minnesota; U Illinois for both (my least favorite); Penn (her least favorite)

Hm, you know, that's the first time I made that list with the rankings in categories. Its actually a helpful way of thinking about things - that rather than obsess about the differtences between Cornell and Davis and OSu and Madison, so many variables, so overwhelming! they're really all on the same level, and I should just chill and see where I get in. That's actually very calming... thank you, wildfocus, for inspiring such clarity of thinking!

 

[wildfocus]

ummm, glad i can help??

yeah, it sounds like a good plan to wait and see where you you both get in. csu was my first choice pretty much from the beginning, but then i went back and forth as i heard from other schools. and just from one washington native to another (perhaps to be considered), it is really hard living so far inland! we will deal with it, but, man oh man, do i miss coastal living.

 

[PdxYOSHI]

Well, In my opinion as a vet student starting at Oregon state this fall and having previously been a grad. student there in the Fish/Wildlife department is that it could be a great school for both of your needs. I knew quite a few grad students in the oceanography dept. who loved the faculty and their research. They've got some great faculty in the oceanography and zoology department that are studying climate change, microbio, GIS mapping technologies, etc. And the vet school is making improvements very quickly too. They were recently given a huge endowment that allowed them to build a new small animal hospital; they're finishing the construction on some new large animal facilities; and personally, I thought the computer labs and dissection rooms (tables with suction to ward off evil formaldehyde fumes) were great. I was much more impressed with OSU's new facilities than the archaic ones that U of Ill. had to offer (but I don't want to bad mouth Ill.) So anyway, go for a visit if its possible but otherwise my advice would be to just apply and see where you both get into school.