Professional school preparation:
• How do you do it?
• When do you do it?
• What does it cost?
• What is expected of you?
Professional school preparation:
• veterinary medicine (DVM)
• human medicine (MD, DO, DC,
PT, PA, etc)
• graduate school (MS, PhD)
• law school (JD)
• business school (MBA)
Professional school preparation:
• begins your first semester in
college…. or before!
• rigorous courses
• moderate to heavy credit load
• achieve high grade point average
(GPA) in college [ >3.3/4.0 ]
• KEEP OPTIONS OPEN!
Professional school preparation:
• keep detailed records!
- academic honors, honor societies,
scholarships
- club activities/leadership
- community service
- work experience: hours worked,
duties performed, etc.
Professional school application:
• start at least 18 months prior to
application deadline
• evaluate multiple programs
– strengths & weaknesses
– good match for your career goals?
• make personal contact
• make site visit (if possible)
• rank/prioritize programs
Professional school application:
What is typically required?
• 1) transcripts/complete academic record
• 2) must meet entrance requirements:
- specific pre-admission courses
- minimum GPA
- standardized exam score
Standardized examinations:
• GRE (Graduate Record Exam)
– www.ets.org/gre/ [cost: $160]
• MCAT (Medical College Admission Test)
– https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/mcat/
[cost: $235]
• LSAT (Law School Admission Test)
– http://www.lsac.org/JD/LSAT/test-dates-deadlines.asp
[cost: $136 + $124 = $260 ]
Professional school application:
3) letters of reference
- usually at least three
- strive for balance among:
a) faculty member / educator
b) employer / research supervisor
c) character reference
AVOID BLOOD RELATIVES!
Letters of Recommendation:
• ask (don’t assume)
• keep in contact post-employment/post-class
• sign waiver of confidentiality?
a) don’t pick someone you don’t trust
b) if you reserve the right to read the letter, this
sends a message to the letter writer that you
don’t trust what they will say (somewhat of an
insult)
Letters of Recommendation:
• Help the letter writers by providing:
- circumstances/date when you first met
- for educators: courses you’ve taken, when,
grade earned; club activities
- for employers: dates employed, major duties,
- for all: resume and unofficial transcript
Professional school application:
4) written application form (often on-line)
- education
- work experience
5) essays
- career goals
- Why this program?
- Why are you qualified/a good fit?
Professional school application:
6) secondary application?
- expect to pay an additional fee
7) interview?
- expect to pay your own expenses
- they pick the time
Work Experience
• emphasize:
- animal/veterinary (vet school)
- nursing home/human clinical (med school)
- research (grad school)
- business experience (MBA)
- people skills (all post-baccalaureate)
• don’t be afraid to show a diverse array of
experiences
Essays:
• how did you decide on this career?
• emphasize understanding of the profession
• project your future as a professional/your
impact on the profession (very important!)
• explain your strengths:
• personal
• professional
Veterinary/Human Medicine:
• Essay questions:
- show your understanding of animals
or “the human condition”
- answer any appropriate science
questions
- but, you’re not a DVM or an MD…
- look for the ethical, social issue…
Veterinary school essay:
• VMCAS (veterinary medical college
application service) personal essay (fall
2010):
• “Discuss briefly the development of your interest in
veterinary medicine. Discuss those activities and
unique experiences that have contributed to your
preparation for a professional program. Discuss your
understanding of the veterinary medical profession,
and discuss your career goals and objectives.”
Veterinary school essay:
• break down the 4-part question:
1) Discuss briefly the development of your interest in
veterinary medicine.
• don’t say “All I have ever wanted to be since I was
born is a veterinarian”
• briefly discuss events that piqued your interest
– DVM saved family pet; presentation at elementary school
•
talk about specific instances of exposure to DVMs
– What did you observe? What did you learn? What excited
you?
• discuss your job shadow/paid vet work experience
(if you have it)
Veterinary school essay:
2) Discuss those activities and unique experiences that
have contributed to your preparation for a
professional program.
• admissions committee members screen hundreds of
applicants
• make yourself stand out! UNIQUE!!!
• What things would prepare you?
- exposure to DVMs
- formal education
- work experience (with animals and people)
- leadership activities
Veterinary school essay:
3) Discuss your understanding of the veterinary medical
profession.
• not everything is fame and glory
– e.g., euthanasia
•
•
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•
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long hours
difficult clients (including those who don’t pay!)
challenging medical diagnoses
farm to farm travel; less than ideal on-farm facilities
societal expectations of a DVM
ethical issues in vet med
continuing education requirements
Veterinary school essay:
4) Discuss your career goals and objectives.
• don’t be overly altruistic:
- “I intend to end all animal suffering”
- “I am going to save animals from going extinct”
• short-term vs. long-term goals
- start as an associate
- buy into the practice as a partner
• What aspect of veterinary medicine?
- research
- meat inspection
- specialty practice
Veterinary school essay:
• ISU college of vet med supplemental
application – question 1 (fall 2010):
• “What do you believe the College of Veterinary
Medicine at Iowa State University has to offer you
that is unique?” (limit of 2000 characters)
- faculty
- curriculum
- facilities
- graduate programs/research/board certification
- access to “support” programs (e.g., National
Centers for Animal Health, Animal Science Dept.)
Veterinary school essay:
• ISU college of vet med supplemental
application – question 2 (fall 2010):
• “What will you as an individual bring to the ISU
veterinary community?” (limit of 3000 characters)
•
Please do not include veterinary and animal experiences and your academic pre-veterinary work.
•
•
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unique personality traits
passion for learning
compassion for people and animals
unique skills
team building
Veterinary/Human Medicine:
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Interview:
- don’t let it be your ‘first’ interview
- confidence, enthusiasm, experience
- be prepared for situational vs science
-ISU Vet Med: interviewers have NO
background information on you
Veterinary/Human Medicine:
• duration of medical studies:
- minimum of 4 years
- internship? residency?
- board certification?
Veterinary/Human Medicine:
• annual tuition (fees not included):
VMed:
– $10,640 - $38,270 (in-state)
– $12,000 - $55,234 (out-of-state)
Med:
– $20K - $50K+
Graduate school applications:
• resume (curriculum vitae) should focus on
academics
• application required
• determine “area of concentration” for
graduate work
• introduction likely to be one-to-one
from your professor…
Graduate Studies: MS/PhD
• pre-admission coursework requirements
similar to those for veterinary/medical
school
• exception: GPA (important, but some
major professors “overlook”)
• GRE required by most (some require a
specific minimum score
• Student self-motivation, investigative/
inquisitive nature highly important
Graduate Studies: MS/PhD
• research experience a major “plus”
• graduate students usually receive one-onone training (professor, post-doc, “senior”
graduate students)
• major professors might pay graduate
student via a graduate assistantship
(research or teaching)
Graduate Studies: MS/PhD
• graduate students spend more time
conducting research than sitting in the
classroom
• graduate school requires reading scientific
literature, technical writing, and public
speaking
• if you start a graduate program, see it
through! (don’t leave after 1 year to go to
veterinary school)
M.S. (Master of Science)
• 2-3 years
• thesis (research emphasis) vs. non-thesis option
• typically 30 credits….6 formal courses plus
credits for research/creative component
• on-line option: coursework based “Master of
Agriculture” (ProAg)
• sample careers:
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–
–
–
community college instructor
university/industry researcher
county extension specialist
management in smaller company
PhD: Doctor of Philosophy
• follows a research-based MS
• 2 to 4 years additional study beyond MS
• heavy research plus 3-6 more highly specialized
courses
• sample careers:
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–
–
–
university teaching/research/extension
industry research& development/technical services
consulting
government research
Law degree (JD)
• LSAT exam required
• 3 years of study
• diverse undergraduate fields of study and
advanced degrees welcomed
• summer internships critical
• variety of employments:
adversarial/contract/intellectual property
– annual tuition: $15K to 45K+ per yr.
MBA (Masters of Business Administration)
• aimed at “management track”
• 1 to 2 years of study
• helpful if you take business/
management courses during
undergraduate studies
• company will often pay for employees on
the way up (3-7 years employed)
– tuition ‘range’: $13K to 23K+ per yr.
Thunderbird School of
Global Management:
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•
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“ MBA with international focus”
major links with international companies
companies often send you to school
get international and business exposure
during undergraduate studies
– time: 16-20 months full-time
– tuition: $1,299/credit [46.5-60 cr.
required; $60-78K total)
Estimated starting salaries:
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DVM:
MD:
MBA:
LAW:
MS:
PhD:
$45,000 to $70,000
$35,000 to $125,000…
$45,000 to $53,000
$50,000 to $100,000+
$45,000 to $55,000
$60,000 to $75,000
» B.S.: $35,000 - $45,000