Dr. Kevin with RLAHS Leo the Lion
Dr Kevin Schmidt knew from a very early age that he wanted a career in veterinary medicine. He was only eight years old when his father, Douglas Schmidt, earned his DVM and began practicing. During that period of his life, he collected many fond memories of seeing his dad at work.
“He used to take me to vet school with him,” recalls Dr Kevin. “After he graduated, he would take me to work on Sundays and I was always captivated watching him as he made the dogs and cats better. I always wanted to follow in his footsteps and be able to care for the animals.”
After his graduation from Red Lion High School, Dr Kevin earned his undergraduate degree in biology from Millersville University. He spent the following year training and working with his dad as a veterinary technician at PVH. Next, it was on to Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine in St Kitts, West Indies, where he not only earned his doctorate, but also met his future wife, Dr Kathleen Spencer.
During their engagement, Dr Kevin and Dr Spencer participated together in a one-year internship at Animal Specialty Group in Los Angeles. The experience offered them hands-on insight to a number of exciting advances in veterinary surgery, internal medicine, neurology, oncology, and emergency medicine. After completing their internships, the two doctors moved to Red Lion to begin practicing full time at PVH.
Dr Kevin was particularly eager to return home and have the opportunity to practice alongside the man who inspired him. “Working side by side with my father has been a great experience,” he says proudly. “I always liked what he did--the animals, the medicine. Now that I am a veterinarian I have really enjoyed working with the animals, treating and preventing disease.”
From his very first day as a PVH doctor, Dr Kevin began to develop his own techniques of identifying illnesses and recommending a course of treatment. “Sometimes the challenge of making a diagnosis works like a mystery,” he explains. “But I like how the pieces of information work together, and you can make the clients feel comfortable about the decisions they make.”
Dr Kevin maintains a strong level of involvement within the veterinary field through his committee work, much of which serves to guide young people who have the desire to enter a career in animal health care. He holds a seat on the veterinary technician advisory board at YTI Career Institute, serves on the Future Farmers of America advisory committee at Red Lion High School, is on the board of the Medical Dental Bureau, and the Young Veterinarians Committee through Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association.
Along with his veterinary expertise, Dr Kevin also brings fresh ideas to PVH and a progressive approach to client and pet interaction. He created and continues to lead the Feline Friendly committee, a group of PVH staff members who initiate new features to the hospital which offer a more welcoming