Having grown up in a rural farming community in central Missouri, Ryan Bear developed an early appreciation for animals. Before becoming a veterinarian, Ryan spent 8 years in the U.S. Navy. As a Naval helicopter pilot, he completed two six-month deployments onboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz to include a combat detachment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2005. Grateful to now have the opportunity to return to his earlier interests, Ryan graduated from veterinary school at Mississippi State University in 2014 and is a great addition to the ECLAP team. Ryan’s primary areas of medical interest include small animal internal medicine, small ruminant care, and emergency medicine. Outside of work he enjoys surfing and snow skiing.