Assistant Instructional Professor in Emergency Medicine, Co-Service Chief Emergency and Critical Care
Amanda Inman
University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine | Gainesville, FL
Dr. Amanda Inman is currently an Assistant Instructional Professor in emergency medicine and Co-Service Chief of the Emergency and Critical Care services here at UF CVM. She mentors current veterinary students both in the classroom and on the clinic floor. Additionally, her research paper on kidney disease in Bracci Italiano dogs was recently published, a breed she holds near to her heart. After graduating UF CVM in 2017, she remained at the university to complete a small animal rotating internship. Today, she continues to provide excellent veterinary care to both the Gainesville and Ocala ECC departments.
What advice do you have for upcoming/new graduates just starting their careers?
Expect change. You probably will not end up exactly where you envisioned yourself when you were a first or second-year vet student. You likely will not stay at your first job forever. Changing paths is normal. It is not a sign of failure.
What insight do you have for current DVM students?
Your grades in vet school do not determine what kind of a doctor you will be. Your ability to utilize the information you learned and connect with clients will be far more important than the difference between a B and a B+. Taking care of yourself in vet school is more important than striving to get perfect grades.
What is one of your fondest memories or meaningful experiences from your time at UF CVM?
Bringing my dog (at the time a bottle baby) to clinics with me and balancing his feedings with seeing cases.
Is there anything in the veterinary field you would like to see change?
The expectation that students and house officers need to suffer or work extensive hours to become good veterinarians. Our field is burning out veterinarians before they finish their training. Five- or six-day work weeks with shifts that are often 14-16+ hours long are not compatible with learning and well-being. Students and house officers are used as cheap labor in many veterinary institutions. If we want to promote mental health and work-life balance in veterinarians after graduation, we must re-evaluate the training programs too.
What do you enjoy most about your current position?
The people I work with, hands down. We have fun together at work and support each other.
What is one of your fondest or most meaningful experiences from your career so far?
Through my research, I have been able to connect with owners whose dogs have kidney disease. One of these owners sent me a picture of their dog carrying his toy for the first time in several months when he began to respond positively to therapy. The dog is still alive a year later. Small things like this are why I do what I do.
What is the best advice you have received during your career so far?
“It’s just a job.”
How do you practice work-life balance?
I strive to be intentional with the time I have off work to do things I enjoy with people who are important to me. I turn off my work brain when I’m at home and don’t think about my cases or my next shift. I mute my phone frequently.
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
Drinking fancy beer and eating desserts.
Do you have a hidden talent?
I can fall asleep anywhere.
How many and what type of pets do you have?
Three cats and the world’s most perfect Bracco Italiano dog.