Today

Steve Mehler has just completed a small animal internship at the veterinary hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and was just accepted for a small animal surgery residency there.

What he said then (2000)

Age: 24

Hometown:
Farmington Hills, Mich.

Undergrad & Degree:
Michigan State University for undergrad, but I didn't receive a degree.

Do you have a spouse or significant other?
Yes, my fiancee Linzie. She's also a veterinary student.

How did you become interested in veterinary medicine?
I've always been fascinated by animals and how different they are compared to human beings. I've also had a compassion for the well-being of domestic and wild animals, which used to drive my parents crazy when I was a child. I brought home everything I found, or that found me. My Uncle Ron is a veterinarian, and a great one at that. He helped to inspire me.

When did you know you wanted to be a vet?
When I was about 9 years old. I lost track of that dream during my teen-age years and thought it was too difficult of a career to pursue. After I was accepted to MSU for undergrad, I decided I wanted to practice medicine and originally thought about human medicine. It didn't take long for me to be visited by familiar aspirations, and so I applied to veterinary school.

What did it take for you to get into vet school? How did you prepare?
The application process was one of the longest years of my life. I worked hard in undergrad and studied for classes and subjects I thought were irrelevant to becoming a vet, but that is what makes up a large part of getting into vet school...PERSEVERANCE!!! Trust me, I made sure my undergraduate years weren't just filled with countless hours at libraries and coffee shops. I had a lot of fun, too.

Tell us about yourself. What do you do when you're not studying or involved in cases? What do you love to do?
When I'm not studying or working up cases, I spend time with my puppy, my fiancee and my friends. I enjoy training for marathons with Linz, hiking and camping in northern Michigan, and volunteering as a friend to troubled adolescents in the community. I also spend time rehabilitating and breeding reptiles at home.

Who are your heroes?
My father, if you knew him you would know why.

Describe your pets.
I have a wonderful German Shepherd puppy, Haley, who Linz and I rescued. You'll meet her on the show. I have two cats, Tai and Baxter, who were rescued also. Both cats act like puppies and are well fed. In the basement, I've got the non-mammalians...reptiles, reptiles, reptiles.

What is it like working with the cameras?
It's fun!!!!! The crews and producers make the environment comfortable and entertaining.

What advice do you have for those who want to go to vet school?
Work hard, play hard...ooh, another bad clichù©.

What are the sacrifices you make for vet school?
I sacrifice time with family and friends and the community. It's real hard sometimes when you no longer understand the inside jokes because you haven' t been around your buddies for a month. Time goes by fast in vet school, real fast. Weeks and months fly by and before you know it a semester has gone and you haven' t called or visited once. And most of all I miss weekends, whatever it is they're supposed to be like.

What sets you apart from the other vet students?
Two things: I love reptile medicine, surgery and husbandry. And in my opinion, the most obvious difference is that I don't drink.

What's your favorite way to spend a rainy Saturday?
In the rain walking or running, as long as I'm splashing in puddles and ruining a pair of gym shoes.

What's your favorite TV show?
Looney Toons.

What was your favorite vacation ever?
As far as the most memorable, Toronto with Linz. I can't say much more. As far as personal growth, I spent a few months in Africa alone traveling between the southern countries. I learned a lot about myself and about life.

If you weren't a veterinarian, what would you be?
A dead man.