Dr. Alex Coats was born and raised in Rapid City, South Dakota, where she gained experience in mixed-animal medicine. She spent the first two years of her undergraduate studies at the University of Montana before transferring to Minnesota State University, Mankato. She graduated in 2019 with degree in Biology.  She then applied and was accepted into veterinary school at Western University of Health Sciences near Los Angeles, California. During her second year of vet school, Dr. Coats discovered her passion for small animal surgery while working at a local veterinary clinic back in South Dakota during the summer. She graduated veterinary school in 2024 with honors. After graduation, Dr. Coats moved to the Phoenix area where she completed a year-long rotating internship at BluePearl. She joined Southwest Veterinary Surgical Services as a surgical intern for the 2025-2026 year and is now continuing on with the team as a surgical resident. During her free time, Dr. Coats enjoys hiking, floating the Salt River, exploring new places, and spending time with friends and family. She has a 3-year-old miniature Dachshund roommate named Walter.