practical advice - starting vstp program

[wildfocus]

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i'm starting a dvm/phd program in the fall, and though vstp's don't appear to be included in this forum, you all may be able to provide some practical advice. of course, i'm very excited, but also very nervous about not performing up to snuff (research and medical wise). how to stay focused on both throughout a 7 year program? also, i'll be 33 when i start (40 when done - before residency and postdocs even start). it seems that most of the md/phds are a bit younger than i. are there any older mstp students out there??

 

[durfen]

i'm starting a dvm/phd program in the fall, and though vstp's don't appear to be included in this forum, you all may be able to provide some practical advice. of course, i'm very excited, but also very nervous about not performing up to snuff (research and medical wise). how to stay focused on both throughout a 7 year program? also, i'll be 33 when i start (40 when done - before residency and postdocs even start). it seems that most of the md/phds are a bit younger than i. are there any older mstp students out there??

Davis?

 

[wildfocus]

nope - the other 2nd ranked vet school... colorado state

 

[QofQuimica]

i'm starting a dvm/phd program in the fall, and though vstp's don't appear to be included in this forum, you all may be able to provide some practical advice. of course, i'm very excited, but also very nervous about not performing up to snuff (research and medical wise). how to stay focused on both throughout a 7 year program? also, i'll be 33 when i start (40 when done - before residency and postdocs even start). it seems that most of the md/phds are a bit younger than i. are there any older mstp students out there??

There aren't many 30+ MD/PhD students. But if you're willing to include people doing separate degrees. there are quite a few of us. I'll be done with both degrees when I'm 35 (started med school at 31).

I've never heard of a VSTP before; what type of careers to people with DVM/PhDs do? I assume you go into academic positions at veterinary schools and do animal science research?

 

[wildfocus]

teaching in a vet school is one avenue, but dvm/phd's are really all over the place (government agencies, academia, industry). i, particularly, am interested in wildlife and zoonotic diseases, and will hopefully do academic research on ecological dynamics of disease transmission in wild populations (and any subsequent effects on human communities, especially with global warming changing infectious disease landscapes).

yes, i thought that 30+'ers would be rare. it's good to know that there are some older students, even if they are doing the degrees separately. 🙂