I was toying with the idea of ​​becoming a Prevet, but I really didn't have a clear understanding of what that entailed. Deciding to give it a try, I contacted my family's vet and arranged an observation at his clinic for a week. That experience was a turning point. In that clinic I found everything I had been missing in my conversations with researchers: These veterinarians possessed a vibrant, tireless passion for animals and a down-to-earth practicality with which I deeply identified. I remember nervously walking into the operating room to watch my first sterilization, worried that I wouldn't be able to handle the blood. To my surprise, I wasn't bothered at all, and instead watched in fascination as Dr. Peterson casually described the parts of a dog's uterus. After this single experience, I knew I had found my calling. My next experience came when I shadowed at West Villa Maria Veterinary Clinic, a small mixed practice with only two doctors. The contrast between this and a larger clinic I was working at at the same time was very instructive for me. I observed the close relationships that Dr. Baggs at Villa Maria had with his clients and saw how this aided his ability to treat his patients. I fell in love with the idea of ​​a small town clinic where there would be this level of familiarity