Dr. Joseph F. Somers has been a dedicated veterinarian since he could say the word. His path in animal health began on a small family farm in the Northeast, where his single mother immersed him and his brother in 4-H, livestock shows, and a life surrounded by animals. While other kids were drawn to football or soccer, Jody was in the barn—riding horses, tending animals, and waiting eagerly for the chance to assist the local farrier or veterinarian.

 

By age nine, he was showing horses; by ten, he was asking a million questions during vet visits and offering help wherever he could. That early passion turned into years of volunteering and working in veterinary clinics, both large and small animal, through high school. His academic journey began with an associate’s degree from UMass Amherst and continued at Colorado State, where he pursued a pre-vet and biology track. Life’s detours led him to hands-on experience on large cow-calf ranches in the West, where he gained deep knowledge in reproductive physiology and calf genetics.

 

Dr. Somers later returned to academia, earning his degree in Animal Science from the University of Connecticut. While at UConn, he worked in the beef, sheep, and swine units and was a key member of the Men’s Varsity Polo Team. At the time, Connecticut lacked a veterinary school, but with the support and strong recommendation of the Dean of Biomedical Sciences, he was accepted into the University of Liverpool in the United Kingdom—renowned for its equine veterinary program.

 

At Liverpool, he earned his Bachelor of Veterinary Science (BVSc), the UK equivalent of a DVM, while continuing to build clinical experience during breaks at Texas A&M’s renowned large animal facilities. Upon graduation, Dr. Somers joined the intensive care unit at Texas A&M, often referred to as the “ivory tower” of large animal medicine and surgery. It was there that everything he had experienced and worked toward since the 9 year old boy “in the barn” came together.

 

With a strong foundation in both academic medicine and real-world animal care, Dr. Somers founded Palm Veterinary, a mobile veterinary practice serving the Miami area. His practice focuses on advanced preventive care, chronic pain management, internal medicine, and emergency triage—delivering compassionate, personalized veterinary care in the comfort and calm of the pets home environment.