Dr. Amber Parks worked her way from associate to medical director before becoming a mobile surgical support veterinarian, traveling between hospitals to perform abdominal ultrasounds. She switched to relief work for the flexibility, and used the time it freed up to pursue ABVP (American Board of Veterinary Practitioners) diplomate status. These days she covers mostly ER and urgent care shifts in Florida, and unwinds with boating, scuba diving, and running. This profile first ran on Relief Rover, the relief-vet community platform that joined Hound in 2023.

In Her Own Words

What inspired you to become a veterinarian?

"When I was in middle school, my grandfather was very ill and was in and out of the hospital for many years. I was always interested in medicine and the science behind it, so I put that together with my love of animals, and it was a no brainer."
Dr. Amber Parks

What states are you licensed in?

"I'm currently licensed in Florida."
Dr. Amber Parks

What roles have you had within the veterinary profession, and outside of it?

"I started out as an associate, and after several years became the medical director for a multi doctor practice. Under the same practice owner, I then transitioned into a medical and surgical support veterinarian for the associate vets at multiple local hospitals. I was also able to travel between the clinics to perform abdominal ultrasounds."
Dr. Amber Parks

What made you switch to relief practice?

"The flexibility of scheduling and the ability to work for myself were definitely the deciding factors. These changes have greatly helped me achieve a great work life balance. It has also allowed me the time I need to work toward my professional goal of ABVP diplomate status this year."
Dr. Amber Parks

What are your favorite things about being a relief vet?

"Again, the flexibility is huge. I do not feel guilty about taking time off. Relief work removes the guilt that comes along with feeling like I'm letting my co-workers down if I'm not there, especially during a busy time of year. Also noteworthy is that when I leave work at the end of the day, I can officially leave work and don't feel like I have to bring it home with me. That has been great for my mental health."
Dr. Amber Parks

What are your least favorite things about being a relief vet?

"The unpredictability of the availability to schedule shifts, though fingers crossed, this hasn't really been an issue for me, thankfully."
Dr. Amber Parks

How does relief practice support the veterinary profession as a whole?

"I think relief practice, hands down, can help give other veterinarians, associates, business owners, and others, a break they so deserve. Take that vacation. Go visit your family. My hope would be that relief practice would continue to allow hard working veterinarians some much needed time off, so they can continue to be one hundred percent for their patients and clients."
Dr. Amber Parks

What supplies or equipment do you bring with you on the job?

"I work mostly ER and urgent care, so the Emergency Procedures for Small Animal Veterinarians and Medical Differential Diagnosis books are always on me. Also, my VIN login gets used pretty much every shift, especially for the formulary."
Dr. Amber Parks

What do you look for in a practice when deciding to cover shifts for them?

"I look at the happiness and cohesiveness of the staff. If the staff are happy, that speaks volumes about the practice culture, morale, and the team's ability to provide excellent patient care and client service."
Dr. Amber Parks

Have you picked up any unique practice tips along the way?

"Working in general practice for about a decade gets you into a flow of timeliness, keeping your appointments on schedule with minimal wait. I feel I do a pretty good job of that, but going into ER work, that whole mindset changes. You're dealing with often complex cases, or cases that require multiple diagnostics, all of which take time. I've had to practice patience in the ER setting, since it's easy to get overwhelmed with so many cases at once. The vet nurses I've worked with are excellent, and they've taught me that not everything has to be done right now."
Dr. Amber Parks

What is your most memorable relief job?

"My current relief work at a local ER. There is never a dull day there."
Dr. Amber Parks

What advice would you give new relief vets?

"Do it. It may not be for everyone, but all the relief doctors I've talked to do not regret making the transition. It will teach you to get out of your comfort zone, hone in on your medicine, and be proud of what you've done for yourself and the great service you provide to your relief practices. If you're not sure, reach out to a local relief veterinarian, since I'm sure they'll be willing to share their experience."
Dr. Amber Parks

How has the pandemic affected your relief practice?

"Thankfully, I've been able to continue filling my schedule with consistent shifts. The adjustment to curbside service, though, has been interesting and challenging at times."
Dr. Amber Parks

What are your hobbies and passions outside of work?

"I enjoy the water, one of the main reasons I live in Florida, boating, scuba diving, and running the occasional 5k or 10k."
Dr. Amber Parks

Anything else you'd like to share?

"If you're considering transitioning into relief practice, feel free to reach out to local relief doctors. They helped me a lot when I first started, and there are great resources through Relief Rover and social media to network with other relief veterinarians and get your questions answered. A lot of what I learned about relief work came through those platforms, and it was a huge help."
Dr. Amber Parks