Thoughts on Research

[Deleted member 288172]

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[GellaBella]

I don't have time to write a very thorough reply, but I hope that I can help

1. Welcome to the forum!

2. Your research experience from undergrad is definitely veterinary experience. Veterinary experience is learning about the type of work veterinarians do. Some veterinarians work only in clinics treating animals. Others work only in labs doing bench work. Your research experience does not have to involve animals because the process of research is the same whether you're studying the tiniest bacteriophage or the largest whale. You ask a question and design experiments to answer that question. Throw in a lot of troubleshooting, hitting your head against the wall, and pulling your hair out and voila! research experience. So your PhD-mentored research should be listed as vet experience.

Now whether the individual schools will count that research as vet experience is a whole 'nother ball game.

3. You don't have to say that you absolutely know what you want to do and how you will do it. I spoke about my research project and the skills that I learned that I think are applicable whether you are a scientist or a veterinarian. If you want people to read your PS you can PM me and I'm sure others, who would be happy to do so and give you some advice.

Ok. Hope that helped a little. Back to my experiments!

 

[nyanko]

Anyways, is it worth talking about my research interests in my personal statement, even if I can't say for sure where I want to end up? Or will this just come off as indecisive?

Your first question (about classification as vet experience) was quite thoroughly answered and I agree with GellaBella on her advice on this part too but perhaps wanted to add a little bit of personal experience and expand on it.

Tread carefully when writing about your research experiences in your PS. You should probably mention them if they're important to you, but that is assuming that you 1) adequately understand them and 2) can relate them to why you want to study vet med. For me this cycle, my research experience fit quite nicely into my motivation and goals so this was easy. My first application cycle two years ago, prior to my MS but after my undergraduate research...not so much.

It also seems that some schools are more particular about having some clear direction in mind before vet school than others in the admissions process. I think though, if you're stating an interest in any facet of the profession in your PS, you really need to be able to "back it up" so to speak with why you feel that way. My first cycle I was taking the more non-committal approach and sort of just mentioned offhand that I might be interested in research, even though I knew that it was my main interest and furthermore I knew what I wanted to do in research. That sort of came around and bit me in the butt - I got an interview to the only school I applied to (Davis) but was rejected afterwards. At my file review it was indicated that (among other issues of course!) my personal statement lacked focus.

So I'd say just make sure you put it in a good context when you are writing your PS, if you're going to talk about it. That goes for any experience that you've had, though, honestly.

 

[DVMorBust]

My PS was completely indecisive - but purposefully so. I talked about my research experience, equine experience, and shadowing I'd done - but not from a 'I'm super gung-ho about all of these' way so much as a 'this is what I have done, and these qualities about them have appealed to me'.

The main point I tried to make was that this was exactly why a DVM was a perfect fit - because I didn't know exactly what I'd want to do when I got out, but the degree provided both a common thread of the things I'd loved about my experiences as well as the opportunity for a wide variety of careers after achieving it.

Nyanko makes a good point - don't rave about something unless you're prepared to back it up in an intense interview situation. But also, don't be afraid to be indecisive as long as it's a decisive indecisiveness - most programs are proud of the variety of careers and opportunities they can expose their students to, and most vet schools understand that there's no way you can have been exposed to ALL of them before school.

 

[Jamr0ckin]

My first application cycle my PS reflected how I viewed myself as a veterinarian - I know I want to buy the mixed animal practice I've worked at for 10 years (the practice owner is planning for this and even said so in his first LOR). It did not bode well for me... that was why I didn't get in. They were not happy that I already knew what I wanted to do. In my file review the comments included "narrow view of vet med." I would say its GOOD that you don't know quite yet - vet school will guide you. I think thats what they want. Good luck!

 

[JosephKnechtDVM]

Eagles, if research is where you truly feel your strengths lie, then a DVM degree is the worst degree you can get. Stick with a science program that will hone your skills as a researcher. DVM curriculum is not designed to produce in-depth knowledge of anything. That is it's major flaw that curriculum reform has been trying to correct for over two decades. The current NAVMEC still has not come to grips with the concept of the omnicompetent veterinarian as being irrelevant and dead as James Herriot. I believe that most veterinary academics view the DVM as only a stepping stone to post DVM education that will allow the student to then pursue their area of interest. I think they are treating the DVM more like a liberal education in that its purpose is for intellectual develpoment rather than produce a competent and confident professional. Look into the Professional Science Masters programs at Universities which provide further science education with internships in industry that might lead to paying job in your specific area of interest.

Jamrockin, you need to talk to the Georgia VMA about your application. The big issue now is not having veterinarians wanting to work or stay in rural practices, especially food animal. So the admissions committee turn down someone with an interest in the area where they say there is a great need. Maybe Sheila Allen and the idiots at Georgia think that a student from Metro Atlanta will have an epiphany about how much they want to move to rural Georgiq or rural Nebraska. Talk to your vet who wrote the LOR about this too. Its too bad James Jarrett who was the big dairy vet from Rome is not around to help you out

 

[Jamr0ckin]

Jamrockin, you need to talk to the Georgia VMA about your application. The big issue now is not having veterinarians wanting to work or stay in rural practices, especially food animal. So the admissions committee turn down someone with an interest in the area where they say there is a great need. Maybe Sheila Allen and the idiots at Georgia think that a student from Metro Atlanta will have an epiphany about how much they want to move to rural Georgiq or rural Nebraska. Talk to your vet who wrote the LOR about this too. Its too bad James Jarrett who was the big dairy vet from Rome is not around to help you out

thanks for the advice, but unfortunately I'm not a Georgia resident. It is the "wonderful" people at UTCVM that that said those things about my application. And I would *love* to live in Nebraska!