Q: Can you share your career highlights leading up to your role as a Veterinary Surgeon and Clinical Director at Westpoint Farm Vets Chelmsford with us, as well as becoming a Bright Minds Award winner?

Dr Ami Sawran: There have been so many highlights in my career – getting my first job, completing my first solo surgery, getting to live in London despite being a farm vet during my PhD and loads more. The biggest one however was the realisation that we have built one of the strongest veterinary teams that I’ve ever seen or heard of within my practice. We have developed a great reputation for training vets and delivering great student experiences, as well as for a positive atmosphere in our practice. During our personal development review season, it was brought to my attention that we really have achieved a zero blame, respectful culture. It's everything I set out to achieve after I became a clinical director. I am not so naive as to think there won't be difficult times, but for now, it has really hit home that we have a dream team. The award was the cherry on top of an excellent year in terms of my professional development.

Q: How did it feel to be selected as the Bright Minds Awards’ Practice Game Changer? What does that mean to you?

Dr Ami Sawran: To even be nominated was a shock to me. The farm sector is often overlooked in recognising professional achievements, and it's the first time that Bright Minds has had a winner from farm. The Game Changer is an interesting category, because it recognises that you have shaken up the status quo and tried new things. In my current practice and company (VetPartners), I have felt empowered and supported to explore new ways of working (and a whole new avenue of clinical practice with our camelid services). It felt like the culmination of a lot of hard work – but it wasn’t the goal. The changes I have brought to my practice were in search of a happy team and a more fulfilling work-life – and the further work to do is simply sharing the ideas we have experimented with along the way. I am very grateful for the award, and I was in such excellent company with Olivia and Janika. I remain thankful for every vote.

Q: How has winning the Bright Minds Award influenced your connection with the veterinary community?

Dr Ami Sawran: I truly hadn’t recognised the impact of my work until then. I’ve had a fair bit of mockery and naysaying about the ways I want to work (and the creatures I want to work with) in the past, so I had grown used to that. To now have affirmation that my contribution to the profession was impactful and worth something has made me feel even more connected and determined to continue to try to help vets, especially farm vets, have fulfilling careers.

Q: What have you been working on since the LVS last November? Are you currently involved in any exciting projects?

Dr Ami Sawran: I’ve just entered my JVP year with the Society of Practicing Veterinary Surgeons, so I am currently supporting the president with her initiatives, learning a lot, and thinking about how I’m going to serve our members as the president next year. I’ve been doing my best to keep up with my marketing master’s degree, and I am also running two clinical research projects in the field of camelid medicine and welfare. Excitingly, I’ve just taken up a secretarial role with the British Veterinary Camelid Society too, so I’m as busy as ever!

Q: What are your future goals and aspirations?

Dr Ami Sawran: Honestly, my ultimate goal is to feel happy at work, be excited to go in each day and see my team, just as I am now. I want to develop our new outpatient clinic to keep offering both contextualised and advanced care to camelid and small ruminant species. I want to highlight how varied and interesting a career in farm practice can be, and I think the best way to do that is to keep experimenting, and seeing where my team's interests can take us. I’ve never been one to plan a lot in advance, but I intend to continue grasping opportunities as they arise, while also prioritising the professional development of my colleagues.

Q: What piece of advice would you share with young professionals out there looking to make an impact?

Dr Ami Sawran: I don’t think that you should set out with the sole purpose of making an impact. Try to forge a path doing something that interests and enlivens you. Make sure you bring others along with you. Grasp opportunities sent your way, and don’t waste your time wondering, ‘Why me?’ Why not you? I don’t think I am particularly sage and inspirational on this front; my career journey has taught me that if a system isn't working for you or if others don't have equitable standing within it, do what you can to drive change.