Have you ever wondered what it would be like to work on the national level, providing insight into animal disease emergencies and potential outbreaks? Alex Turner, DVM, went from skiing on an Olympic course, to equine ambulatory practice, to the USDA, and has loads of stories to go with his experiences.  Having just returned home from a 23-day 'deployment’ with the Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, Alex is part of an emergency response team that helps keep all of us safe. Today he shares his stories from the equine world and emergency scene, why he stands by his controversial Harry Potter opinions, and much more. Being open to new opportunities has been the key to Alex’s success and he is here to shed some light on the importance of mentorship, following your dreams, and asking for help when you feel trapped. Have you ever dreamed of protecting plants and animals from potential disease outbreaks? Share what you found the most interesting about Alex’s field in the comments on the episode page.    In This Episode Learn what is involved during an organized group response to a disease outbreak  Repetitive ‘gold stars’ to look out for on your final exam and in real-life practice  Understanding how diseases impact multiple aspects of the agriculture industry Dive into the realities of animal disease emergency response and equine medicine Organizational tips to help manage your stresses and be okay with the unexpected   Quotes “There are diseases like this that affect both small and large animals, but the first line is the veterinarian. So its that red light goes off, and the great next call is to your local state veterinarians office.” (15:20) “In hindsight looking at it, my parents said ‘we're gonna put him in this so he can get this horseback riding thing out of his system and move on’. And that was in 1985 so, not quite out of my system yet!” (21:14) “It is amazing to see something you have worked on, and helped an athlete to do their job at the highest level it is done.” (39:15) “When opportunity knocks, don't just ignore it and send it to voicemail. Sometimes listen, that really helped me out.” (52:03)   Links PAV 045: Kim Ellis   Enjoying these stories? Consider supporting Podcast A Vet on Patreon & check out our awesome patron-only perk Find the full show notes here  Keep up with everything Podcast A Vet Follow Podcast A Vet on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram Join our free community of dedicated vet professionals looking to improve their practices and lives in our free Facebook community! We'd love it (and you) if you would take 1 minute and leave us a review on iTunes!