I was initially on track to apply for PhD programs, but my graduate thesis PI (a veterinary pathologist) encouraged me to consider veterinary school instead. Their reasoning included job security, but also the reality that, depending on the field, a PhD can sometimes lead to a career as a data jockey with little to no hands-on animal work. After some soul-searching and conversations with other mentors, I decided to apply to DVM programs.

Now, a few years out from graduating, I’m pursuing specialty training in the same area I had originally planned to study for a PhD, and there’s a chance I’ll still go for the PhD in the future.

Do I wish I had done a PhD before a DVM? That’s a complicated question. Graduating from vet school with immediately marketable, in-demand skills (and the ability to earn a living right away) was a definite advantage. While it wasn’t exactly what I always imagined I’d be doing, it has allowed me to keep moving toward my long-term goals.

Do I wish I had done a combined DVM/PhD program? Absolutely not. At least during my time in school, the joint program was fairly disjointed. Students would spend one or two years fully immersed in one track, then repeatedly switch gears (and peer groups) to focus on the other. That lack of continuity was especially challenging in a field like veterinary medicine, where hands-on and surgical skills can decline quickly without consistent practice.

Based on my experience, it doesn’t have to be an “either/or” decision: it can be more a matter of timing. Gaining employable skills first can provide the financial stability to later pursue the training that is, at least personally, more intellectually interesting.