Transitioning from PhD to DVM

[Ocelot75]

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I am currently a PhD student, and I am planning on applying to vet schools next year. I will have a PhD in microbiology from one of the top universities in this field, a GPA of 3.9, and a GRE combined score of 1360. What I don't have is vet clinic experience and a LOR from a veterinarian. I have been volunteering at an animal shelter where I work with horses and other farm animals. My question is, is this enough? I am trying to shadow/possibly volunteer at a vet clinic, but I haven't heard back from any of the clinics I have applied to yet. Also, I work 12 hour days at lab, so the time I am available is very limited. Do other people that have transitioned from a PhD program into vet school have any advice?

 

[philomycus]

I wish I had your problem ! 😉

I've got an M.S., but still had to go to work part time as a vet tech. You're going to need an eLOR from a vet......and an avatar !! 🙂

 

[rexosaurus]

I agree with philo, definately get an avatar! But in all seriousness, you MUST have an LOR from a vet, and in some instances, two, depending on the school. If you are planning on applying next year, that shouldn't be too hard to come by. The hours will add up, and the vet you do choose to work with will see your dedication along the way. You have plenty of time.

 

[JIKJen124]

You might want to look into the local emergency vet. Often times they need vet. assistants to work at odd hours (evenings, overnights, early mornings) that might work with your current work schedule. Shadowing definitely counts, so that might be an option too.

 

[kate_g]

Hi Ocelot, welcome. I'm starting at Davis this fall, with a molecular & cell bio PhD. My situation was similar to yours - PhD from great university, great GPA (of course, because we've got a zillion research credits that are all A's - beware, adcoms know that grad GPAs are pretty worthless indicators of intelligence), high GRE score. I also had very minimal companion animal clinical experience (couple hundred hours in a shelter 8 years ago, 60-ish hours recent private practice shadowing).

BUT... There was a large clinical component to my research and the vet staff at our facility was very accommodating of my interest in vet med. So I had thousands of hours of research clinical experience, and a great letter from the head vet at our animal facility with whom I've worked very closely over the years. If your research involves animals (or even if it doesn't), get friendly with the head vet at your university's animal facility in the next year. Ask if you can watch or help out with cool stuff on other species in the facility, and get a letter from them.

I was strongly advised to get some private practice experience. I thought it was lame advice, but did it anyway. DO IT. Even the 60-odd shadowing hours I had were helpful. Every interview made it clear that they wanted to see I had some experience with companion animal private practice - I guess just because that's where so much of vet med is focused. Plus it let me say with even more confidence that that's not the direction I'm headed. 🙂

If your research involved animals and you did anything at all clinical - giving injections or collecting samples, doing surgery or dissection of any kind, or even just participating in their routine medical care - then aside from some token private practice experience you're probably fine. However, if your research was all petri-based and the entirety of your veterinary experience is volunteering at that one shelter, then... no, that's probably not enough. You're turning your back on a very expensive investment (expensive for the government agencies that paid your tuition and stipend, not for you personally), and the adcoms are going to want to know that you've got some really good reasons for wanting to move into vet med - and that you are actually going to stay there, rather than finishing vet school and then deciding to switch careers again. Not having much clinical experience of any kind isn't a good start to convincing them. Believe me, I understand your schedule constraints. 🙂 If getting more clinical experience means you've got to reduce your hours at the shelter, then you should consider that.

Good luck!

 

[UpstateNY27]

Hi Ocelot75. I am also PhD graduate (molecular toxicology), and I am transitioning into veterinary medicine, I am a first year DVM student at Cornell. Our classes started a week and half ago, so I am back to a student status from a brief one and a half week break.

I supposed that your question is about whether or not you should get more vet experience? I say the more the merrier! From what I understand about the application process, it is highly advised to have at least one recommendation from one veterinarian- make this a priority. Make sure that you build some type of professional relationship with a vet in any specialization. In my case, I was fortunate to work with the veterinarian in charged of the vivarium for our university. The recommendation that you would get from the veterinarian partially serves to communicate to the admission committee that you know specifics about the veterinary profession.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

 

[Ocelot75]

Thanks for all of the advice! I kind of figured I would have to get a LOR from a vet. It has just been really frustrating getting in touch with one, but I'm guessing persistence is key. Thanks again!