Dr. Brianna Armstrong is a veterinarian, entrepreneur, and podcast host passionate about transforming the veterinary profession from the inside out. As medical director and co-owner of Firehouse Animal Health Center 183 in Austin, Texas, she helped grow a de novo hospital from $0 to $1 million in its first year and 70% growth the next. Through her podcast Choose People Love Pets, she spotlights leadership, culture, and innovative career paths in veterinary medicine. Dr. Armstrong also develops people-first leadership tools and consults on culture, retention, and reimagining what’s possible in veterinary medicine.
2:40 PM–3:40 PM
When Medicine Isn’t What Makes You a Great Doctor
Early-career veterinarians enter practice with strong medical knowledge and quickly learn that medicine alone isn’t what earns trust, builds relationships, or creates the “you’re our doctor forever” moments. This talk reframes what truly defines success for new graduates: communication, connection, emotional intelligence, and the integrity to navigate uncertainty and mistakes with honesty. Through real stories from the exam room, practical frameworks, and immediately usable tools, attendees will learn how to strengthen client relationships, work more effectively with their teams, and become the type of doctor clients believe in, regardless of the outcome.
4:15 PM–5:30 PM
Horse, Zebra, or Unicorn: When You Hear Hoofbeats…
Join general practitioners Dr. Gershon Alaluf and Dr. Brianna Armstrong, oncologist Dr. Kim Johnson, and internist Dr. Jessica Larson for an interactive, fast-paced diagnostic game that brings real-world clinical reasoning to life—without the pressure of having to be “right.” Each presenter will share cases from their own clinical experience and challenge the audience to decide: is this a horse, zebra, or unicorn? Attendees will vote in real time, follow each clinician’s diagnostic thought process, and see how uncertainty, pattern recognition, and clinical judgment shape decision-making in everyday practice. Fun, high-energy, and great for normalizing diagnostic uncertainty, this session is perfect for early-career veterinarians—and a refreshing reminder for seasoned clinicians that thoughtful medicine doesn’t always mean instant answers.
View All Speakers | Discover More Below
