<p>Hi: I’m an academic surgeon on the West Coast who went to Amherst (and absolutely loved it). Don’t ask me to tell you all the reasons to go to Amherst. Bowdoin?? Please!! But from the point of view of medicine as a career (and i suspect veterinary medicine), there are leaders all over the country who went to Amherst. At absolutely every step of my career, I was helped by previous Amherst grads who were in positions to help. You can say what you like about the “old boy network,” but when you’re choosing a college, it’s a GOOD thing. Amherst people are there to help at the top of every field.</p>