Featured Practice: Rochester Veterinary Services
Name: Dr. Mark Sturdy
Year Degree Received: 1984 
Years at Current Location: 19 years
Specialty/Type of Practice: Small animal
What are the biggest challenges/rewards of your practice?
It's a challenge to balance staying active in the community, maintaining a healthier pet population and practicing veterinary medicine and surgery. The biggest reward is facilitating the vet/pet/client bond.
What are some of your favorite memories from your time as a DVM student at Illinois?
Over the course of four years, I realized that veterinary medicine had more potential for a career that just embryo transferring registered cattle. I enjoyed the vet/student interaction during the last two years. No memory would be complete without mentioning the unending and lifelong support of Dr. Erwin Small.
What lessons did you take away from your DVM education and how have they applied to your practice?
A practitioner will be presented with a wide variety of cases throughout a lifetime, and needs to be willing to utilize any and all potential treatment protocols (specialty practices, consultations, referrals) to promote animal health and client satisfaction.
Are you currently involved with the University of Illinois? Do you have a favorite fund to support?
We (my wife Teresa, myself and sometimes our kids) have had seasons tickets to basketball and football for 20 years and continue to support the I Fund. We have recently sponsored the Dr. Mark and Teresa Sturdy Family Endowment. We also support the Presidents Council.
Pictured above is Dr. Sturdy's Illini Room at his home.
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