Lead Sets Teams Up for Success in San-Diego
Dr. Amy Fraze, DVM, is Lead Doctor at the Point Loma hospital in San Diego. We had a lovely conversation with her about her move to Banfield, her typical day as a Lead Doctor, and her love of Star Wars—including her new rescue pup, Luke Skywalker! Read her story.
Can you walk us through your journey with Banfield?
I worked at an Emergency Room in Tennessee, as well as a private practice, before deciding to move to San Diego to be closer to my children and grandchildren. I accepted an offer from Banfield in December of 2017 at the Point Loma location, and it has been the greatest journey and experience of my veterinary career thus far. When I started here, I had a great mentor and fell in love with the way Banfield practices medicine. Dr. O’Donnell, who is now our Area Chief of Staff, mentored me as I reestablished myself in Point Loma. Once settled, I worked as a relief doctor at other Banfield locations around San Diego as well, allowing me to get acquainted with many other Banfield doctors and associates.
There have been many changes in vet medicine recently because of Covid-19, requiring us to adapt almost every day. Luckily, Banfield sets us up to accommodate these changes. I am now the Lead Doctor here, and we have an incredible client base with whom I have built lasting relationships with. I truly love our Point Loma team! Last year, Shylynn Jones transferred from Missouri to take over as our new practice manager, and Point Loma has flourished. We consistently improve every area of our practice under her leadership.
Outside of work, what are your favorite activities to do in the San Diego area?
I love spending time with my grandchildren, going to the movies or the beach. My grandson and I are avid video gamers and share a love of all action movies, including Star Wars and all the Marvel movies. I’m also a backyard bird enthusiast and have many hummingbirds, finch, and songbird feeders, and love to watch them flourish. I love doing paint by numbers painting and diamond drill painting. By now, everyone on my team has pictures I’ve made for their unique interests.
What does a typical day look like for you, inside and outside of work?
I arrive early to work to get a good start to the day, helping the team set up for a successful day of surgery or comprehensive exams. My team is fantastic and highly efficient. We do quite a few routine surgeries such as spays and neuters, along with some more emergent surgeries like foreign bodies, mass removals, and cystotomies. I have been onboarding new doctors this year and am so excited the team is growing.
After work, I head home to see my family as my daughter and three grandchildren live with me. I just rescued a new puppy named Luke Skywalker (as you can see, my love for Stars Wars) and love playing with him and my four other rescue dogs.
What do you like about the culture at Banfield?
I love the support our team leadership provides. I never hesitate to reach out for any help or advice, as I know I will always receive the support I need for any situation. Banfield does a great job of onboarding new doctors, ensuring they have the necessary foundation for this field, and pairing them with an experienced mentor to help them thrive. Banfield also provides the tools to practice gold standard medicine for our patients and is consistently adapting as the field grows and changes. Implementing the best practice of medicine sets us up for success every day.
How does the field support their associates’ health and wellbeing? Do you have any specific practices that are encouraged?
Banfield provides many resources for our health and wellbeing, including PTO, health, vision, dental, and retirement benefits, as well as an abundance of other resources. We also have a four-day workweek, which allows us to maintain a good work-life balance. Seeing that my associates are happy in their work-life is very important to me, and communication is the key. We have a great team that not only works together but gets together for fun outside activities too. Our team works hard, so to see them enjoy their time together outside of work goes to show how strong our team is.
What advice to have for those just starting their career in the veterinary industry?
Start your career with Banfield. Banfield provides everything you need to start with an enriching experience in your veterinary life.
In addition to the mentoring and guided development, you will receive in the beginning, the benefits Banfield offers create ample room for you to excel in the field and your personal life.
