Alumni Profile | Class of 1998 AMY VALET
Then & Now
After I graduated from CPA in 1998, I attended college at UT Knoxville, and completed medical school and residency in dermatology at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.
A lot has happened since high school graduation! I met my husband, Dr. Robert Valet, while in medical school and we now have three boys( Sam, Stephen, and Sawyer), all of whom attend CPA. I have practiced general, surgical, and aesthetic dermatology in Nashville since 2011. In the spring of 2017, Rob( who is an allergist) and I opened our own practice, Traceside Dermatology and Allergy, at St. Thomas West. We both really enjoy the privilege of working together.
Today I practice general, surgical, and aesthetic dermatology in Nashville. My husband, Dr. Robert Valet, and I own our own medical practice, Traceside Dermatology and Allergy, which is located at St. Thomas West. I also serve as a volunteer faculty member at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.
How did your experience at CPA prepare you for your current pursuits?
The heart of CPA ' s leadership, administrators, and teachers is what makes the Academy a special place. The formula of love, academic rigor, and personal attention all emanating from a Christian world and life view has created a culture at CPA that values each student as a unique individual. Consequently, my teachers really went the extra mile for me as they helped me learn to write, think, and articulate my calling— for me, this was particularly evident during my middle school and high school years. If special people like Kathy White, Joy Mackenzie, Kara Fromke, Phil Boeing, Sandy Keown, Bill Delvaux, Tom Gilman, Paula Flautt, and Deanne Carroll had not invested in me, I don ' t know that I would be where I am today, either personally or professionally.
One of the things I always loved about CPA is that students are able to be involved in a lot of different, and often competing, extra-curricular activities. I really enjoyed being able to participate in sports, AP classes, and the arts. For me this was really valuable because in my work as a dermatologist, scientific knowledge matters just as much as fine motor skills and an eye for detail, proportion, and symmetry. If I had only been allowed to focus on academics, I would not have fully developed the range of skills I rely on in my profession.
The solid Biblical foundation that was laid for me at CPA and by my parents has been critical as Rob and I seek to teach our children about God’ s word.
Finally, I just have to say, this community has loved me and my family well beyond my years as a student. Several years ago, my father was sick with ALS, which is a terminal illness. During the years leading up to his death, the CPA community loved us as a true extended family. The love of this community changed my life and the way I relate to other families who are faced with serious illness.
How do you hope to have an influence on today’ s culture?
Rob and I have three boys so we spend a lot of time playing outside with the kids. I am really glad I played sports in high school because I can play basketball with my boys and know how to throw a football! We love spending Saturdays at the ball field watching the boys play. Our family also keeps a large organic vegetable and flower garden. I hope that my love for Jesus makes me a better mom, wife, employer, and doctor. I also hope that I put the needs of others above my own. I love I Corinthians 10:31 and hope that in whatever role I find myself, it will be Christ in me that others see.
26 SEPTEMBER 2017