The Doctor Dr. Sam Morris, Crete, Ill., veterinarian and director of the Plum Creek Regional Animal Medical Center. It came as a slow realization along the way. I have always known that I wanted to be a veterinarian, even before I really understood what it was all about. It has turned out to be even better than I had first imagined at the tender age of four.
Few people realize that.
There is so much potential for personal growth, and so many variations of this career that a veterinarian can literally go anywhere and do almost anything. I have a classmate in NASA, one who is a veterinary college dean, others who are distinguished authors, professors, specialists, researchers, some who work with the FDA and in government, and others who just try to make a difference in their little corner of the world. Although I had not thought that the field would be boring, I had no idea how much excitement and variety it had to offer. The bad part was coming to the realization that you can notsave everything, that some owners don't care, and that many people expect the veterinarian to discount a fair fee or to not charge simply because the person chose to have a pet or pets they cannot afford to care for properly. These people often try to make us feel guilty for their choices, not understanding that the veterinarian is a small business person who needs to pay their own bills and raise their own family, too.