Dr. Fitzsimmons grew up in San Jose California. He obtained his bachelor's degree in biology from UC Berkeley (Go Bears!) before obtaining his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine at UC Davis. He has always had a special interest in turtles and tortoises and has raised his sulcata tortoise, Marshmallow, for the past 16 years. He is interested in specializing in reptile and amphibian medicine. In his free time, he enjoys running marathons, reading mystery novels and playing board games with his friends.