UF faculty member drives multiple agendas in administrative posts

Amanda House, D.V.M., is on the road again. Put another way, if she’s not, she will be soon.

Such is life these days for House, an assistant professor of equine extension and an internist in the UF College of Veterinary Medicine’s department of large animal clinical sciences. In addition to directing the department’s equine research program, House was recently appointed course director for the college’s new practiced-based equine clerkship. She also is serving out her yearlong term as president of the Florida Association of Equine Practitioners.

In her new role as clerkship course director, House is in the process of meeting with more than 60 equine veterinarians from across the state. The goal of the clerkship is to provide veterinary students with on-farm primary care experience with horses in physical exams, diagnosis, treatment, herd health, routine medicine, surgery and practice management. Veterinary students would be assigned to enrolled practitioners for two-week rotations. As FAEP president, House’s goal is to drive the group’s ambitious agenda, which includes offering continuing education opportunities and professional development to a group of approximately 200 members.

So drive she does — literally, across the state, meeting, greeting and multitasking as she goes.

“I have fortunately been able to combine my roles at times, and can occasionally meet with practitioners about the clerkship at FAEP events,” said House. “I have also offered to make myself available to county extension offices to coordinate special meetings when I’m in their area. It can be a scheduling challenge, but I am traveling almost every week.”

House joined FAEP shortly after accepting a faculty position with the CVM in 2007. She soon was named to the group’s board of directors and served as its vice president in 2009. Unexpected changes in the officer slate meant she ascended to the president’s role this year rather than in 2011, but House hasn’t missed a beat.

“We have monthly board meetings, which we try to do on a conference call, but we do have semiannual, face-to-face board meetings in Orlando,” she said. “Events do vary in location, but there is usually one a year in the Ocala area. The UF Student Appreciation Day wet labs are in Ocala and our annual Promoting Excellence Symposium is in Orlando for 2010, which we selected because it was a central location. We are also excited about our 2011 Promoting Excellence Symposium on Amelia Island.”

As a member of the association’s educational program committee, House has helped organize both of those events along with additional wet labs or short courses.

“This year, we had a breeding soundness exam short course in February, a wound management short course in July, and in addition, we are planning an imaging wet lab in November,” House said, adding that some of these events are free to members and to UF veterinary students.

Twenty-eight students participated in this year’s UF Student Appreciation Day wet labs on Aug. 28, she said.

For several years, the group has funded a $1,000 scholarship to a senior veterinary student.

“We consider it critical to mentor and give back to young members of our profession,” House said. “The FAEP Student Appreciation Day Wet Labs has been a tremendously popular event among our students and the practitioners.”

In addition to promoting high-quality continuing education, the association has worked closely with the Florida Veterinary Medical Association’s legislative committee on issues affecting equine veterinarians and welfare for horses in the state. The group publishes a bimonthly magazine, sends members a biweekly e-newsletter with upcoming event or important industry-related news, and maintains a Web site as well as a Facebook page.

In this economic climate, the organization recognizes the importance of value and efficiency and has worked to become more cost-effective, House said.

“We provide more and different membership alternatives, work hard to keep our registration costs affordable, and provide events that afford both excellent continuing education and an opportunity to meet and socialize with colleagues in all facets of equine veterinary medicine,” she said. “We try to provide at least one completely free continuing education event for members each year. This year it was the breeding soundness short course in Ocala. It was a great event in a small group setting where we talked about and performed the examination of the stallion and mare.”

House’s extensive network of contacts, formed largely through equine extension and clinical work she has performed over the past three years, has helped in her administrative role with FAEP and with her outreach to practitioners and potential UF partners.

“I have to say that the experience and relationships I have been able to establish through FAEP have definitely enhanced what I do at the university,” House said.

Jackie Shellow, D.V.M., a UF CVM alumna and FAEP president-elect, called House “great to work with” and said she had no idea how she juggled everything on her plate.

“She is well-spoken, organized, extremely diplomatic and very good at presenting issues and getting the important across,” Shellow said, adding that it was important to the veterinary profession that the professional organizations in Florida represent the practitioners and work closely with the UF CVM.

“The FAEP is a perfect example of this happening,” Shellow said. “Working together, we can be a stronger voice for veterinary medicine and for horses in the state of Florida.”