Doctor of Veterinary Science

Both the Doctor of Philosophy (Veterinary Science) and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) are the paramount qualifications for this field. Students can therefore expect to gain the highest level of knowledge available. These programs can take three to four years of full time study to complete, or up to eight years if part time.

PhD (Veterinary Science)

This program is for aspiring academics, providing the chance to complete an 80,000 word thesis in a topic of choice and make meaningful contributions to the field. The University of Melbourne offers these programs to students wishing to gain world class research and communication skills, with the added advantage of applying them to a meaningful cause.

DVM

The University of Adelaide and similar institutions offer these qualifications to aspiring veterinary surgeons and general practitioners, as it provides the necessary accreditation. Units in DVM professional skills, general pathology, anaesthesia, systems pathology and more make it a highly practical course. Students should note that these doctorates cannot be taken part time.

Employment options

Employment options are dictated best by choice of doctorate.

PhD employment

Careers in either research or teaching are ideal for these graduates. Institutions like James Cook or Murdoch always need articulate and well-read scholars to improve their institutions and the education of their students.

DVM employment

Employment as a veterinary surgeon is the most logical choice. Graduates are advised to register with the Australian Veterinary Association to gain insights into career and networking opportunities and advice.

To learn more about employment opportunities for these programs, click here.

Scholarships and funding

There are many funding opportunities specific to veterinary science. Some of these include:

• Eric Horatio Maclean Scholarships worth $1000 p/a
• The Commonwealth Chief Veterinary Officer’s Scholarship for Australian citizens who study at the University of Sydney, worth $10,000 p/a
• The Jew Family Travel Scholarship reserved for zoology and veterinary science students willing to undergo placement in Sub-Saharan Africa, valued at $4000 p/a
• The Samuel and Eileen Gluyas Fellowship available to students of agricultural or veterinary sciences

Students are advised to browse the full range of veterinary science scholarships here, as they are unusually numerous compared to most other disciplines.

Prerequisites and selection process

Both PhDs and DVMs are extremely competitive, usually requiring the following minimum criteria for entry:

• A four year honours degree in veterinary sciences
• A distinction GPA (75%) attained in prior coursework
• Evidence of research ability (graduate diplomas or master degrees are excellent proof of this)
• Proof that knowledge of veterinary science is current. This can be anything from recent work experience in the field to recent completion of study

Applicants who don’t meet one or more of these requirements are advised to consider beginning with a graduate certificate and entering these programs through postgraduate study.