Jan 25
Dr. Ashley Portmann had always dreamed of becoming a veterinarian ever since she was a little girl, but like with many fast-paced careers in the medical field she soon found herself hitting burnout from the chaos of general practice. Ashley attended a conference on home hospice care and realized that maybe she wouldn’t have to leave the profession she loved so much after all, maybe she could pivot in a new direction that would work for her ADHD brain and allow her to dig her way out of burnout instead of contributing to it.
In early 2018 Ashley decided to start her own practice, Home Together Veterinary Services, offering in-home care for senior pets and their people. This style of practice allows her to form genuine connections with her patients and take a more holistic approach to veterinary medicine, which has reignited her self-confidence and her passion for the field.
The services Ashley offers and the empathy and comfort she brings to families during a difficult time are so crucial, and I hope Ashley’s story of finding her niche inspires you to start thinking about how you could make a meaningful pivot in your own life.
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"I am much more inattentive ADHD than hyperactive ADHD, but I think I've always had a lot of that self awareness. I don't know that I've always felt like an outsider necessarily or different, I think I've just always felt like I was a little bit more inside of myself, a little bit more introspective."
- Dr. Ashley Portmann
"A general practice in vet med is a very chaotic place. So you are switching gears, sometimes, not exaggerating, every two minutes, you're doing something different. And while that sounds really cool and exciting, and sometimes it can be, it is absolutely exhausting for my brain."
- Dr. Ashley Portmann
"Euthanasia is one of those things that, especially if you're not involved with it, it seems like ‘why would you ever want to do that? That is so sad.’ That's the reaction I get a lot. And while it is sad, it is so beautiful and so fulfilling to be in a room with this animal and their family and all of the love that you're getting to feel in those appointments is so special."
- Dr. Ashley Portmann
"There's a lot that comes with owning a practice. I never, ever wanted to do it because even before the diagnosis, I kind of recognized how overwhelming that could be. And now I can't imagine doing it another way. It's so much better."
- Dr. Ashley Portmann
- Dr. Ashley Portmann, veterinarian, shares her passion for in-home care for senior pets and their people.
- Dr. Ashley has found a community of like-minded individuals through improv workshops and classes, which can be a great place for people with ADHD to connect and collaborate.
- Dr. Ashley found the first year of vet school challenging due to the large number of classes, labs, and clubs, which made prioritizing difficult.
[31:30 - 45:59] Challenges in veterinary medicine and personal growth
- Vet student felt overwhelmed by constant task switching and minutiae in general practice.
- Dr. Ashley experienced pressure and perfectionism, as well as anxiety, in their work, making it difficult to maintain a sense of accomplishment and control.
- Vet with ADHD finds liberation in flexible practice, hopes it catches on.
- Dr. Ashley attended a lecture on neurodiversity in vet medicine, which was well-attended despite being new.
- ADHD has helped her to notice details in their patients' homes that would be missed in a clinical setting, leading to more effective and personalized care.
- Dr. Ashley Portman shares her experience with a new approach to veterinary practice, focusing on collaboration and mutual benefit for all involved.
Website: https://www.hometogethervet.com/
Facebook: Home Together Veterinary Services
Instagram: @hometogethervet (business); @abportmann (personal) IAAHPC website: https://iaahpc.org/
