Harrogate Grammar School Alumnus Amanda Boag (1984 -1991) returned to talk to enthusiastic Years 11, 12 and 13 students about a career in Veterinary science and the life sciences. Amanda left Harrogate Grammar School in 1991 and trained as a vet at the University of Cambridge.
Since then she has focused on being a small animal (dog and cat) specialist and in Emergency and Critical Care. The first half of her career was spent at one of the top vet schools in the country, the Royal Veterinary College, and for the last sixteen years she has been Clinical Director at one the UK’s entrepreneurial vet businesses, Vets Now. She was elected on to the council of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) in 2012 and recently became President.
Amanda was delighted to talk to the next generation and to discuss the diversity and importance of the various roles in the vet industry. Amanda illustrated her talk with examples of her career progression and the skills needed to be successful in a life science career. She highlighted the similarities in the training needed for vets and doctors and explained that some courses are co-taught. The role of other life science experts was also outlined and the importance of professionals working together to provide effective care for the patient.
As President of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Amanda is currently involved in negotiations with the government over Brexit and potential issues with the movement of animals into and out of Britain from the EU. She finished by explaining that whilst in the Sixth Form at Harrogate Grammar School, she had no idea where her career would take her, but the grounding and confidence she had at the school gave her the springboard to enjoying an interesting and varied career.
