Dual PhD-DVM Comparative and Experimental Medicine

The College of Veterinary Medicine and the Comparative and Experimental Medicine (CEM) graduate program offer a coordinated accelerated dual program leading to the conferral of both the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and the Doctor of Philosophy degrees. The accelerated dual program allows veterinary students to apply up to 9 hours of DVM course work toward a PhD degree in CEM, leading to completion of both degrees in less time than would be required to earn both degrees independently. The accelerated program is designed to prepare highly motivated students for a career in veterinary research.

Students entering the dual degree program must meet minimum admission requirements for both the DVM and the PhD programs. Applicants for the DVM-PhD program must make separate application to, and be competitively and independently accepted by, the College of Veterinary Medicine for the DVM and the CEM program for the PhD. Students who have been accepted by the College of Veterinary Medicine may apply for approval to pursue the dual program any time prior to or after matriculation. Such approval will be granted, provided that dual program studies are started prior to entry into the fourth semester of DVM course work.

Students enrolled in the dual DVM-PhD program will be officially classified as primarily veterinary (DVM-seeking) students until the DVM coursework is completed, with the following exception: dual program students will typically be expected to enroll as PhD students during the summer semesters between their first and second years in the veterinary curriculum. After the DVM is conferred, the dual student’s primary major will be CEM.

A dual program candidate must satisfy the graduation requirements of each program. The CEM program will award up to 33 hours of credit toward the PhD for acceptable performance (a grade of at least a “B” in A–F-graded courses) in approved courses offered by the College of Veterinary Medicine. Courses eligible for dual credit will be at the recommendation of the student’s CEM major professor in consultation with the student’s doctoral committee. A total of 48 course hours independent of dissertation (CEM 600 ) are required for the PhD degree (15 CEM hours plus 33 hours accepted from the DVM program). The doctoral comprehensive examination must be successfully completed within 2 years of completing all DVM course work.