From courtrooms to clinics: How vet, Yasmin Amer, blended social work with emergency care

After leaving school in 2002, Yasmin completed a law degree at the University of Westminster, followed by a year of professional training at Bar School (2005–2006), and then a master’s in law. Unsure whether a legal career was the right long-term fit, she worked as a paralegal at a family law firm while considering her options. It was there that she first discovered the pivotal role social workers play in the family court system. Following the much-publicised death of Baby Peter in 2007, Yasmin enrolled on a full-time master’s programme focused on child and family social work, called Step Up to Social Work. After completing the programme, she worked as a child protection social worker in London before joining CAFCASS, an organisation responsible for welfare reports in family law cases.

Becoming a vet wasn’t always Yasmin’s goal. She remembers telling her primary school teacher she wanted to be either a vet or an artist, but after realising drawing wasn’t her strong suit, and watching All Creatures Great and Small, she found herself put off by the more difficult aspects of James Herriot’s stories. A disappointing grade in Chemistry A-level also made a veterinary career seem out of reach during her teenage years.

Fast forward to 2015, and Yasmin found herself facing challenges in her child protection role. While she thrived in the work, the emotional demands and pressure were significant. Around the same time, she adopted her first tortoiseshell cat, Indie, and found herself increasingly curious about feline behaviour and care. During a routine visit to the vet with her newly adopted cat, she had a lightbulb moment: I could do this.
 

The journey to vet school

Yasmin then began researching routes into veterinary school. Despite having a D in Chemistry at A-level, it didn’t prove to be a barrier. She completed an access course and managed to fit in the required pre-vet schoolwork experience around her existing job. Revisiting Chemistry was no small task, but she approached it with determination.

With the benefit of extensive professional experience, Yasmin treated her vet school interviews like any other job interview and, as a result, received several offers. She chose the University of Surrey for its practical, hands-on approach and because it was commutable from home. Throughout her time at vet school, she continued to work as a social worker and began to realise that her background was a real asset to her future career in veterinary practice.

Yasmin then began researching routes into veterinary school. Despite having a D in Chemistry at A-level, it didn’t prove to be a barrier. She completed an access course and managed to fit in the required pre-vet schoolwork experience around her existing job. Revisiting Chemistry was no small task, but she approached it with determination.

With the benefit of extensive professional experience, Yasmin treated her vet school interviews like any other job interview and, as a result, received several offers. She chose the University of Surrey for its practical, hands-on approach and because it was commutable from home. Throughout her time at vet school, she continued to work as a social worker and began to realise that her background was a real asset to her future career in veterinary practice.

Skills and experience

The skillset Yasmin developed as a social worker has been invaluable in her work as a vet. Social work demands strong communication skills, particularly when supporting people in distressing and difficult situations, as well as the ability to gather, assess, and analyse information. Her training in the court arena has made her comfortable giving evidence, public speaking, and writing concise, analytical reports. Yasmin’s background has also prepared her to handle some of the more sobering cases vets’ encounter. Situations involving animal abuse, neglect, or substandard care.

The good bits

Yasmin loves the fast-paced, unpredictable world of emergency medicine as it keeps her on her toes and means she is constantly learning. The demanding nature of the job suits her, and she also values the work-life balance and salary that come with it, helping her maintain a busy but fulfilling lifestyle. That said, she admits there are days when she wishes there were just a few more hours to get everything done.

One of the highlights for Yasmin is working with a nursing team that’s not only extremely skilled but also confident in showcasing their expertise. She’s a strong advocate for recognising veterinary nursing as a profession in its own right, believing that nurses deserve to be empowered to grow and fully use their talents.

Emergency veterinary work comes with its fair share of challenging and distressing cases, and Yasmin recognises the importance of debriefing after such incidents. She feels fortunate that Vets Now runs morbidity and mortality rounds, providing a space to review and learn from difficult cases.

Balancing her ongoing social work commitments and professional development, alongside a demanding veterinary career isn’t easy, but Yasmin finds that the flexible night shift rota helps her manage this effectively. Since qualifying, she’s encountered numerous poor welfare cases, many of which are especially tough to handle during night shifts when partner agencies like the RSPCA aren’t available. Yet, our shared passion and collective purpose at Vets Now empowers her to face these challenges with confidence and resilience.

Career aspirations

Yasmin is embracing the challenges of night work as she continues to build her emergency medicine skills. She recognises that there is always more to learn and feels fortunate to be part of a team where knowledge and experience are shared openly. She is particularly passionate about integrating practical advice into veterinary teams on handling welfare cases, especially those involving concerns for children. Yasmin believes these cases are more common than many realise, and she firmly holds that veterinary professionals should never turn a blind eye.

Drawing on her unique background, Yasmin is a strong advocate for veterinary social work; a field focused on supporting the human side of veterinary care by identifying support needs for both pet owners and veterinary professionals. Social work offers valuable tools that help veterinary teams manage the emotional and stressful aspects of their work by providing reflective spaces and supportive frameworks.

Looking ahead, Yasmin aims to further blend her two professions by delivering training to vets and social workers on safeguarding and the complex relationships people have with their pets. She hopes that by putting her own perspective on this work, she can make a meaningful difference, even if it’s just in one case or by empowering a colleague to take action that helps an animal or person in distress.

A different perspective on becoming a vet

Yasmin offers a slightly different perspective on when the right time is to become a vet. She believes it can be beneficial for young people to have some time to explore before committing to a lifelong career decision. Being a vet can be very demanding, and Yasmin feels that her ability to take on sole charge night shifts early in her career comes from the wealth of life and professional experience she had already gained. This background has given her the confidence to ask questions, seek out information, and request help when needed.

She also recognizes that there is always more to learn clinically and that often there are multiple ways to approach a situation. In today’s dynamic world, Yasmin believes it’s never too late to change or blend career paths. Skills from previous careers can be a real advantage in new roles, even if that connection isn’t immediately obvious.

Career pathways

Yasmin’s journey highlights the diverse pathways into emergency care that Vets Now supports. Whether you’re early in your career or bringing valuable experience from another field, our placements, internships, and programs offer opportunities to grow and thrive in a supportive community.

Find out more on our job search page here.