Welcome to the incoming Class of 2003 and congratulations for being chosen to attend ISU College of Veterinary Medicine. Be sure to take lots of notes , ask lots of questions both in and out of class, don't be afraid to ask for help (fear can be your undoing) and above all, DON'T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF! What is a preceptorship? The word preceptor means "tutor" and during your fourth year, you will be given the chance to travel outside the walls of our beloved institution to receive instruction and credit that applies toward your DVM degree in areas that interest you. This article was originally going to cover several students from the current graduating class and the preceptorships that they have attended. That's it, one story, five or six students - but, when I started to think about all the students in my class alone, and what I understand their interests to be, I decided to concentrate on only two of our current fourth year veterinary students so I could write a little more in depth about their experiences and how they arranged them. I will cover other preceptorships in upcoming issues.