I knew I wanted to become a veterinarian by the time I was twelve. When it came time, I was struggling with whether to go into human or veterinary medicine, and I decided that I didn't want to spend my time justifying my professional decisions to an insurance company.

I think one of the biggest challenges facing the veterinary profession today is gaining recognition for what we do and the contributions veterinarians are making to society. When I talk to people and tell them I am a veterinarian, they think I work with dogs and cats and do clinical work. When I explain that I work for FARAD doing research and performing computer modeling to prevent drug residues so that our food supply is safe, they don't really understand what I do. I feel that one contribution I can make to our profession is educating the public on the many roles veterinarians play in our society. In fact, public health is intertwined with veterinary medicine. Most people don't realize that; they think that only human doctors developed and contributed to it.

LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY
The AVMA is a legislative advocate, as well as an informational and advisory resource to government agencies and other organizations on issues related to veterinary drugs and biologics, zoonotic disease control, food safety and other issues related to animal and human health. AVMA works on behalf of all veterinarians, members and non-members alike.