Published on
Story contact: Rachel Becker, CVMMarCom@missouri.edu
Photos by Karen Clifford, courtesy Kent family
Grace and Lily Kent have rarely had to explain the demands of veterinary school to each other.
The twin sisters understand the long hours, difficult decisions and sacrifices that come with pursuing the same demanding career. Through it all, they’ve had the unusual advantage of navigating those challenges side by side.
Now third-year students at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine, Lily and Grace are entering the clinical phase of their veterinary education. The white coat marks that transition from classroom learning to clinical training and greater responsibility for animals and the people who care for them.
“It feels like everything we’ve worked toward is finally coming together,” Grace said. “We’ve spent so much time learning from textbooks, lectures and labs, and now we get to apply that knowledge to real patients. Our instructors will still guide us, but we know our decisions will affect lives. That’s a big responsibility, and I’m excited for it.”
A shared path to veterinary medicine
Long before the sisters understood what it meant to become veterinarians, they shared a curiosity about science, a love for animals and a desire to care for others. But each found her own reasons for pursuing the profession.
Grace remembers a sixth-grade science class as an early turning point.
“I thought it was the coolest thing ever,” Grace said. “As I got into high school, I started wondering how I could make science part of what I did every day. Veterinary medicine brought that together with my love for animals.”
For Lily, the profession became a natural fit as she discovered how it combined problem-solving, animal care and human connection.
“Veterinary medicine kept checking all my boxes,” Lily said. “I get to solve puzzles through diagnostics and clinical science, work with animals and build relationships with people.”
The sisters grew up in Belleville, Illinois, before beginning their college careers at the University of Missouri, where they earned their undergraduate degrees in 2024. As they prepared for veterinary school, their work in a small animal emergency clinic taught them about the trust people place in veterinary professionals during deeply difficult moments.
Both arrived at Mizzou with an interest in animal science, though neither knew then that their paths would continue together into veterinary school.
“Working at the clinic, we saw a lot of people and their pets on the worst nights of their lives,” Lily said. “In those moments, you want to be someone they can rely on. I want our future clients to feel supported and never judged, because caring for people is such an important part of caring for their animals.”
That work helped shape the veterinarians they hope to become and reinforced the value of building knowledge through direct experience.
“When looking at potential vet schools, we wanted a program where we could work with animals from day one,” Lily said. “The hands-on experiences Mizzou offers have continued to make a big difference for us.”
Even as they pursued the same goal, there was no guarantee their paths would continue together. Each had to earn a place in a competitive veterinary class.
“We didn’t know if we would get into the same school, much less in the same year,” Lily said. “We were very lucky to be able to continue our paths together, and even more excited to do it at Mizzou.”
Two careers take shape
After years of pursuing veterinary medicine side by side, the Kent sisters are beginning to chart distinct professional paths.
Lily plans to pursue an equine internship after graduation, with a particular interest in foals and neonatal care. Grace is drawn to small-animal emergency and critical care, where veterinarians must make decisions under pressure while considering the needs of the whole patient.
Their careers are beginning to take them in different directions, but they share a vision for the veterinarians they hope to become.
“We want clients to know that we care about their animal and genuinely want the best outcome,” Lily said. “No matter where our careers take us, we want to treat every animal like they’re our own and be there for the people who love them. If our clients feel cared for, supported and never judged, I think we’ll be the kind of veterinarians we hope to be.”
For Lily and Grace, the white coat marks both how far they have come together and how much lies ahead. The experiences they’ve gained at Mizzou have helped turn a shared goal into two careers of their own, and as they begin clinical training, both are one step closer to becoming the veterinarians they’ve worked so hard to become.