Q&A: I’m About To Start Graduate School But I Want To Be A Vet

Hi Shar,

I found your blog while searching the internet. I will be starting a PhD program in microbiology soon, but I really feel that veterinary medicine would be a better fit. I missed the deadlines for this year and ended up accepting the graduate school offer. I have a great undergraduate gpa and a degree in biology, but I need some more experience with a vet. Would you recommend going a year to grad school and volunteering somewhere, and then applying? I would appreciate any advice. Thanks.

EM

8/14/11

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I think you have a great plan for what to do. Definitely volunteer and get experience working in as many ways as possible with as many types of animals as possible while beginning your PhD. Vet schools seem to love people who change career paths! I’m not sure if you want to give up on the PhD totally, but you could consider applying to some DVM/PhD programs. I know the joint program at Davis covers your vet school tuition, which is a big incentive. It’s a competitive application process, but if you’ve got the grades and the background as it seems you do, it might be something to consider.

Either way, good luck and let me know if there’s any other way I can help!

~Sharon
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