If Wishes Were Horses: The Education of a Veterinarian

When she entered Colorado's College of Veterinary Medicine at the age of 34, Loretta Gage was elated but apprehensive. Could she survive four years of rigorous courses and long hours? A college dropout, she had returned to the University of New Mexico to complete her undergraduate degree, then applied to the veterinary school and was twice refused admission. With her sister Nancy Gage, Loretta takes us year-by-year through her courses to attain a DVM. With an iron will and hard work, she overcame emotional and financial problems. She describes her classmates, professors and the animals they worked with (many were doomed in the cause of scientific study, and Loretta learned to cope with that, too). Her engaging tale, while somewhat weighty on technical terms, will likely attract many of James Herriott's fans. (Feb.)