Sarah Freeman graduated from the Royal Veterinary College, University of London in 1994. Following a year working in mixed practice in Suffolk, she returned to the Royal Veterinary College in 1995 as a postgraduate student in the Equine Hospital. She obtained a PhD in equine anaesthesia, the RCVS Certificates in Veterinary Anaesthesia, Veterinary Radiology and Equine Soft Tissue Surgery. She became a lecturer in Equine Surgery at the Royal Veterinary College in 1999, and became a Member of the Institute of Teaching and Learning in 2002. Between 2002 and 2005, Sarah was self-employed undertaking consultancy veterinary education and clinical work. She became a Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2005. She joined the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham in 2005, and was involved in much of the early planning and delivery of the new curriculum.

Current role at Nottingham includes undergraduate teaching in Yrs 1-5, and research based around clinical disease (equine colic, wounds and critical decision-making, and canine reproduction), undergraduate education and human-animal interaction.

Sarah was awarded a personal Chair in 2014, and is a Professor of Veterinary Surgery at the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science. She was awarded a Fellowship of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2017 for meritorious contributions to clinical practice, and won the RCVS Impact award in 2019 for her work within the REACT colic campaign.