My decision to become a veterinarian was well-received by exactly no one in my family.  At first it seemed their collective lack of enthusiasm stemmed from my being too young to proclaim that veterinary medicine was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.  My family thought that, like most young people,  I’d change my mind and move on to some new idea by the time I finished elementary school and certainly by the time I’d finished high school.  I often heard them say exactly that.  As time went on, the pull to become a veterinarian grew stronger and with each passing year, my family’s disappointment with this decision became clearer.  The recurring theme was that I should become a ‘real doctor’ or a nurse or an actuary or anything at all except a doctor for animals.  [Note that ‘real doctor’ was the term used by family, I am of the opinion that vets are ‘real doctors’] I didn’t know any veterinarians who could shepherd me into the profession or who could convince my family of the merit of my choice.  I…