Dr. Paulsen is a native of West Texas (San Angelo) and attended Texas A&M University. He was a member of the Corps of Cadets and graduated summa cum laude with his Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degrees in 1976 and 1977, respectively. Dr. Paulsen received the Thomas S. Gathright award in 1977 for academic excellence; awarded to the student with the highest overall grade point average in the College of Veterinary Medicine. He subsequently served 7 years active duty in the US Army as a veterinarian and was stationed in Alabama, Colorado and Hawaii. He left active duty in 1984 to complete a 3 year residency in ophthalmology at Colorado State University. He completed a Master of Science Degree from CSU and attained Board Certification in the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists in 1987. Dr. Paulsen practiced in Orange County, California before returning to Texas in 1990 to open the Animal Eye Clinic in Arlington. He maintained this practice in Texas and a part-time consulting practice in the state of Hawaii from 1990 to 2002. Dr. Paulsen retired from the US Army Reserve with the rank of Colonel in 2007. Currently the Animal Eye Clinic maintains two full-time offices in Arlington and Fort Worth.