Columnist Susan Snyder: Meet this veterinarian in the flesh

Saturday, July 5, 2003 | 2:46 a.m.

Colleen Marie is one of those young women you desperately want to hate.

The 25-year-old Las Vegan is Playboy magazine's Miss August playmate in issues that hit newsstands June 23.

She attended veterinary school on an academic scholarship. Her hair is naturally curly. Her complexion is like porcelain, even when she's not wearing makeup.

And last Wednesday she ordered hot chocolate and a chocolate croissant without the slightest tinge of guilt or worry.

She could be so easy to hate if she weren't so easy to like.

"There are so many beautiful women out there. I have no idea why (Playboy) chose me," Colleen said. "I'm glad that they picked me, but I still don't know why."

See what I mean?

Colleen does indeed practice veterinary medicine in Las Vegas. Yes, I know where. But I am revealing neither that nor her full name. The woman has a job to do. She doesn't need some infatuated Drooly Boy asking her to examine his monkey.

However, if you must meet her, she is signing autographs from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday at the Palms' Palapa Lounge.

The native of Plano, Texas, described herself as a bookish "nerd" who wanted to doctor animals from the time she was a little girl. When she landed a scholarship to Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, she said her friends and family were surprised by her determination to follow her childhood goal.

She's a vet by design. Playboy happened by chance.

Colleen modeled in college "to pay for groceries." A photographer included her in a local calendar, then submitted photos to a photographer in Los Angeles, who had connections at Playboy.

After being considered by Playboy officials in Los Angeles, Chicago and by Hugh Hefner himself, Colleen signed a two-year contract calling for promotional travel, the centerfold, more photos, creation of a 10-minute video and an Internet spot.

Playboy waited a year for her to finish doctorate school and sent a photographer to graduation.

"I'm the only playmate whose picture was taken at graduation," she said.

Her parents hung the cap-and-gown shot on the wall. But the magazine shots may not end up beside it. They bought the August issue as soon as it was available, rather than waiting for Colleen to send a copy with stickers covering the sensitive spots.

"I totally didn't want them to see it," she said. "I did ask my parents' permission before I did it. My dad just told me, 'Don't do anything you're uncomfortable doing.' "

She's not uncomfortable, but she sure is busy.

One day she's wearing body paint at the Playboy mansion. The next she's wearing surgical gloves to remove a tumor from a ferret. A hamster bit her last Tuesday. Her hands and forearms bear scars from dog scratches, cat bites and parrot nips.

"I'll never be a hand model," she jokes.

And she won't be a playmate for long. The Playboy gig will help pay off $80,000 in student loans and lead to maybe two or three years of modeling.

"I'm very fortunate to have a career I can fall back on," Colleen said. "But when I'm modeling, and they ask, 'What do you do?' I can say, 'I'm a doctor.' That alone is worth $80,000."