The Draw of Rural Veterinary Care: A Fourth-Year Student Returning Home

Story by Logan Hansen, VMBS Marketing & Communications

April 7, 2026

Having grown up in a small town known for its friendly, tight-knit population, Gabriel Platas is no stranger to the strength of human-animal bonds that are forged within rural areas.

Now, as a fourth-year Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) student at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (VMBS), Platas is preparing to exit Aggieland with a heart rooted in philanthropy and plans to return to his hometown of Premont, Texas, where his passion for veterinary care first began.

A Rural Upbringing

Located 30 miles south of Kingsville and with a single stoplight, Premont’s intimate size promises the possibility of spotting your teacher, dentist, and veterinarian all at one intersection. Although the town is considered a quiet community suitable for retirement, for Platas, Premont is home. 

“Anytime you see someone at church or in the supermarket, they are always inclined to start a conversation,” Platas said. “It was a nice place to grow up because I always felt connected to everyone.”

Premont’s size offered Platas limited options for spending his free time. However, the town’s veterinary clinic caught Platas’ attention because his mom is a veterinary technician.

So, at 15 years old Platas began working at the clinic as a kennel attendant, eventually working his way up to administrative work.

“When I was growing up, I was trying to decide whether I wanted to do vet med or human medicine,” Platas said. “Pretty early on — even just scooping up manure from the horses — I realized this is what I want to do.” 

Collegiate Pursuits

When it was time to set a path toward a veterinary career, Platas made the short journey to Texas A&M Kingsville, where he pursued a Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture.

“I’m pretty family-oriented and wanted to be in a good position to stay close to family,” he said. 

From Delta Chi to working for student activities and assisting as an undergraduate teaching assistant for livestock management, Platas dove into all of the opportunities that Texas A&M Kingsville had to offer. 

“The classes were small, so the professors really get to know you,” Platas said. “Getting to make those personal connections was something I wanted and was glad to have found there.”

While making those connections, a faculty mentor offered Platas an undergraduate research opportunity through the Ronald E. McNair Undergraduate Research Program, a prestigious initiative offered for high-achieving first-generation college students. 

“I worked alongside Dr. Michelle Garcia, an animal reproductive physiology and molecular biology professor. Our research centered around how we could improve wound healing through the use of leptin — a hormone that’s produced by fat cells,” Platas said. 

After graduation, Platas was honored to receive his acceptance into Texas A&M’s Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program.

“I spent my high school and undergraduate career preparing myself to be a competitive candidate as a first-time applicant,” Platas said. “I was excited and surprisingly relieved to complete a goal I wholeheartedly invested myself in.”

Arriving in Aggieland

At Texas A&M, Platas found that the Aggie culture echoes across both campuses, but his greatest discovery was the breadth of specialties a career in veterinary medicine has to offer. 

During his first year of veterinary school, Platas became certified in Public Health and obtained a license with the National Board of Public Health Examiners, which required completing his first-year curriculum and independent study. The following summer, Platas did a four-week externship with the Institute for Infectious Animal Diseases at Texas A&M, where he focused on program planning and evaluation, project management, and policy.

“Coming from a rural town , my scope of veterinary practice included the care of dogs, cats, horses, and livestock,” Platas said. “It wasn’t until vet school that I realized there’s actually aquatic medicine and zoo medicine — specialties in vet med I was never exposed to.”

A pivotal moment for Platas was his introduction to Texas A&M’s Veterinary Emergency Team (VET), led by Dr. Deb Zoran, and getting to see first hand the philanthropic impact that could be made in this field.

“I happened to be on the fourth-year clinical rotation when VET went to Kerrville for the floods, and that really solidified my desire to pursue an emergency management specialty,” Platas said. “I had the opportunity to fully understand what a veterinarian’s purpose was in these situations. It’s not just thinking about the animals; it’s thinking about the families that are impacted, implanting ourselves in the community that’s affected, and trying to help them in any aspect needed.”

His consistent love for philanthropy has also led Platas to serve two consecutive terms as a student board member for the Texas Veterinary Medical Foundation (TVMF). 

“I learned really quickly how I could provide services and advocate for veterinary student support and for rural communities that don’t have the same resources that College Station might have,” Platas said.

He is also a member of the White Coats, a group of veterinary students organized who advocate and ensure a positive culture at the VMBS.

“I wanted to be a part of things that offered service to everyone, from those about to accept their DVM offer letters to students being named doctors for their first time,” Platas said.

Small Town Necessities

Because of his early experiences at the Premont clinic, Platas remains aware of the need for veterinarians in rural areas. 

“In a rural town, it really comes down to the veterinarian being a pet’s nutritionist and primary care physician but also a mentor for how to take care of an animal; Premont is also two-and-a-half, three hours from a specialist,” Platas said. “One veterinarian is not enough to care for an entire county’s animals; you need multiple people to help so that one veterinarian’s not getting burnt out or having to sacrifice their personal life.”

When Platas returns home following his graduation, he will be that additional resource for Premont; there, he will work alongside his mother and gain additional experience before moving into a preventive medicine specialty and, ultimately, working with state or federal agencies in emergency management. 

“I want to implant myself somewhere I’m needed,” Platas said. “I now understand the importance of being a part of something bigger than myself. Being a veterinarian is about utilizing the skills learned and providing compassion to the situation in front of you. I am prepared to take on that responsibility as I practice medicine.”

Taking A New Path

For now, when Platas is not focused on his studies and service work, his morning consists of hunting down the best coffee in College Station.

“I’m a coffee snob,” Platas said. “I literally will try out every coffee shop in town; Kyle House is a favorite, for sure.”

After being energized, the next item on his to-do list is finding a good trail.

“Hiking is something I enjoy, but there aren’t that many trails here,” Platas said. “I try to either do long runs or walks along the Park Hudson Trail whenever I’m off of clinics.”

As Platas prepares for his next adventure, he plans to keep an open mind in what the future may hold.

“Advice that I carry with me each day is the reality that embarrassment is an emotion that we don’t necessarily explore enough,” Platas said. “Life is about trying to figure it out, and it’s OK to not know — it’s OK to be that person who’s flustered in the moment — but don’t let yourself shut it out.”

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For more information about the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, please visit our website at vetmed.tamu.edu or join us on Facebook, Instagram, and X.

Contact Information: Jennifer Gauntt, Director of VMBS Communications, Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, jgauntt@cvm.tamu.edu, 979-862-4216

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