Doctor of Veterinary Medicine/Master of Public Health (DVM/MPH)

Program Overview

The DVM/MPH degree is offered jointly by the College of Public Health and Health Professions and the College of Veterinary Medicine. Applicants interested in veterinary public health should consider the DVM/MPH combination degree program at the University of Florida. Veterinarians with MPH degrees are increasingly in demand because of their involvement in all areas of public health, including epidemiology, environmental health, global health, infectious disease investigation and control, and homeland security. Public health-trained veterinarians are uniquely qualified to understand and respond to emerging zoonotic diseases, to address complex global food system problems, and to respond to acts of bioterrorism. The combination DVM/MPH Program may be completed within the four-year timeframe required for a DVM degree alone by starting MPH coursework the summer before entering the DVM program.

Graduation Requirements

All students in combination MPH programs must meet graduation requirements of the MPH. A student must satisfy the curriculum requirements for each degree before either degree is awarded. If taken consecutively, the DVM and MPH degrees at UF are 150 and 48 credits, respectively, and require six years of coursework. The combination DVM/MPH Program permits sufficient sharing of course credits to allow completion of the program in four years plus one summer semester for students who enter both programs concurrently. DVM students who choose to enter the combination program after completing one or more years of the DVM program may require an extra semester after completing the DVM. Key elements of the program are described briefly below. Details can be found on the DVM-MPH checklist.

Note: DVM/MPH seniors are encouraged to present their MPH special projects at the CVM Phi Zeta Research Emphasis Day, typically held in March. The oral presentations given previously at Public Health Day may be presented, or students may prepare a poster.

Admission Criteria and Process

Candidates for the program must:

Acceptance into the combination DVM/MPH Program is dependent upon acceptance into the DVM program. Please note however, that the combination application may be due prior to student notification regarding acceptance into the DVM program. The combination degree program is not open to students who have already earned either the DVM or the MPH degree.

Timing of Application/Admission

The application process for the UF combination DVM/MPH Program is open to any student accepted into the DVM program. However, due to the timing of several deadlines for the MPH portion of the application process, some interested students may need to apply to the MPH program prior to being notified of acceptance into the DVM program.

Students should feel free to contact Telisha Martin (martints@phhp.ufl.edu; 352-273-6444) or Lynnette Chaparro (chaparrol@ufl.edu; 352-294-4244) if they have questions regarding the MPH/DVM degree program.