Why Plant Doctors?

Since their establishment about 100 years ago, agricultural and plant science departments (Agronomy, Botany, Entomology, Horticulture, Plant Pathology, Soil and Water Science) have made great progress in developing effective strategies to optimize plant and crop production and minimize the deleterious impacts of pests. Synthesis of this increasingly complex plant health data is essential for its proper use. Human and animal health professions have evolved practitioners, physicians (MDs) and veterinarians (DVMs), as a means of synthesizing and implementing similar health information.

We firmly believe that similarly trained individuals knowledgeable in all aspects of the prevention, diagnosis and management of plant health problems, Plant Doctors, represent the natural and essential evolution of agricultural science. To that end the University of Florida College of Agricultural and Life Sciences established the Plant Medicine Program in 1999, the world's first doctoral level course of study leading to the Doctor of Plant Medicine (DPM) degree. This 3 to 4 year post-baccalaureate program requires extensive coursework in all the relevant disciplines but does not require research or a dissertation. Upon graduation, plant doctors will find a wide range of careers in the private and public sectors.

We believe that Plant Doctors will have a profound effect on plant culture worldwide; their emphasis on integrated crop management will lead to increases in production with lower environmental impacts. We also feel that the DPM degree will be particularly useful to graduates returning to developing countries due to the comprehensiveness and practical nature of the degree.