Today, people think of veterinarians as cat or dog doctors. Sixty years ago, they were considered farm animal or horse doctors. As times changed, the veterinary profession moved in many unimagined directions. In both the past and present, few people have appreciated the variety of contributions society receives from this modest and exciting profession. Veterinary medicine is vital to the health of pets, zoo animals, food-producing animals and poultry, and captive and wild birds. The veterinary profession is a key player in agriculture, companion animal health, food safety, human health, medical research, and the US military.
As a teenager, Bob Kahrs dreamed of being a cow doctor. After achieving that goal, he practiced bovine and small animal medicine for seven years, taught, conducted research, and administrated at universities for 31 years. He then worked as an international trade negotiator, and authored books on viral diseases of cattle, global livestock health policy, writing techniques, the veterinary profession, and this memoir.
This autobiography begins in boyhood. It covers elementary school, adolescent adventures, high school athletics, and summers working on farms. It describes how parental wisdom, supportive coaches and teachers, and a high school principal provided incentive for the academic efforts that opened the doors of opportunity.
The opportunity to attend veterinary college, the circumstances surrounding his admission, and the events that followed convinced him that teaching was his destiny. He believed that hands-on experience was needed to teach effectively, so he practiced for seven years. This experience provided a balanced outlook and the professional maturity needed to succeed in multiple environments. He successfully mastered the challenges of practice, academe, government, and retirement.
After seven years in practice, Dr. Kahrs returned to Cornell, and worked at Cornell’s College of Veterinary Medicine where he taught and investigated animal disease outbreaks. He soon became associate dean for Academic Programs and Admissions. He reluctantly resigned those positions to preserve his personal integrity and professional credibility. He then accepted a position at the new College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Florida and departed his alma mater for new challenges.
After five years at UFL, despite warnings to the contrary, he accepted the deanship at the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Missouri-Columbia. He was immersed in a political boiling pot that eventually cooled down, in part due to the college’s mule team.
After 10 years in Missouri, Dr. Kahrs moved to Washington, DC, as director of the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Center for Import and Export. He soon became the USDA’s chief trade negotiator and experienced the rewards and challenges of dealing with bureaucrats from the world over. He retired from government after seven years, yet remained active as part-time director of international affairs for the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges.
Throughout his career, Dr. Kahrs struggled to improve his writing skills. They developed slowly, and over the years he published almost 100 scientific articles and seven books. Four of the books were about veterinary medicine, two described writing techniques, and one is this autobiography. He hopes you enjoy the book and the surprises it describes.
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