AVMA podcast update highlights Kevin Fitzgerald’s wider role

CURRENT BRIEF VERSION: AVMA’s My Veterinary Life has brought back Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald for an update that doubles as a reminder of how broad veterinary influence can be. Fitzgerald, a small animal veterinarian known to many from Emergency Vets, used the conversation to connect everyday practice with bigger themes of kindness, bravery, community engagement, and wildlife conservation. That framing fits a career that spans companion animal medicine, public communication, comedy, zoo leadership, and endangered-species work; Fitzgerald has served on the Denver Zoo board, worked as a Smithsonian veterinary consultant on endangered-species issues, and says he has participated in multiple conservation expeditions focused on threatened wildlife. (drkevinfitzgerald.com)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the update lands at a moment when the profession is still wrestling with burnout, public trust, access to care, and how to define its role beyond the exam room. Fitzgerald’s message also fits the broader themes AVMA has been surfacing across My Veterinary Life, including Spectrum of Care, compassion under pressure, and veterinary relief work in crises such as Ukraine and Gaza. Together, those conversations reinforce a wider One Health view gaining traction across veterinary medicine: that animal health, human health, and environmental stewardship are linked, and that veterinarians can contribute through clinical care, advocacy, education, disaster response, and conservation work. Cornell wildlife health leader Dr. Steve Osofsky, for example, describes One Health as recognizing that the health of people, domestic animals, and wildlife is “inextricably linked” and rooted in how the environment is managed. (support.doctorpodcasting.com)

What to watch: Expect continued interest in stories that position veterinarians not just as clinicians, but as community leaders and credible voices in conservation, access to care, and public-facing advocacy. AVMA’s recent podcast lineup suggests that editors are intentionally highlighting courage, kindness, practical flexibility, and service-oriented leadership across very different veterinary career paths. (support.doctorpodcasting.com)