James Hendrickson VMD was born in Chicago, IL but moved to the Washington DC area with his family in 1957 and, except for the four years he spent in Veterinary School, he has lived in the area ever since. He attended the University of Maryland at College Park from 1969 to 1972. He subsequently attended the University of Pennsylvania and graduated in 1976. His first position was at Brightseat Emergency Animal Hospital in Landover, MD. He worked there and at Forestville Animal Hospital until 1980. From 1980 to 1982 he was a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Maryland Medical School studying estrogen-dependent breast tumors.

He began working at MEAC in July of 1982 and has worked here ever since.

He married Jennifer Flaherty in June of 1984 and she is still putting up with him. His biggest interest these days are his grandchildren, who are not surprisingly, the most wonderful grandchildren in the world.