Dvm/mph

[frozen_canadian]

What kind of opportunities for those with a DVM/MPH? I heard this was a booming area, due to emerging zoonoses, but can't seem to find a whole lot of info on the topic. Thanks.

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[Jack Daniel]

What kind of opportunities for those with a DVM/MPH? I heard this was a booming area, due to emerging zoonoses, but can't seem to find a whole lot of info on the topic. Thanks.

This is a really interesting question IMO. Five years ago, I thought of vets basically as folks who endured A LOT of education, training, and expense for the priviledge of vaccinating pet cats and dogs. I was soooo wrong.

Obviously I was exagerating a little, but now I know that a DVM and MPH is a powerful degree combination, especially if your goals lean toward public health policy. Most states have both a state veterinarian and a public health veterinarian. While these are senior positions, there certainly exists other good opportunities for less experienced folks. I'm speaking from my limited experience of New England--but I'm sure this is true for other states, the federal level, and the private sector.

What's on the radar screen of public health vets? Avian influenza, WNV/EEE, rabies, Lyme, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, psittacosis and tularemia are just a few of the areas. Also, since many BT concerns are also zoonoses (e.g. anthrax and tularemia) they have been heavily involved this, too.

The public health vets I know work closely with state legislators educating them about these issues and work to develop protocols for controlling and tracking these diseases.

 

[frozen_canadian]

Thanks for the info!

 

[ubercoo]

Thanks for the info!

Hey,
Check out the Ohio State University veterinary public health program. There's a great guy there (division head) named Armando Hoet who could tell you A LOT about this topic.

(I think there may be another vet-based program out of one of the Penn. schools)