Since childhood I’ve always wanted to be a veterinarian, which makes my position at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) the perfect job for me. I’m Dr. Amy Winter, a Veterinary Medical Officer with the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). I’m stationed at the National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) in Ames, Iowa. I joined the staff in Ames in October 2002 – only five months after I graduated from veterinary school.