AVMA spotlights kindness, community, and conservation with Kevin Fitzgerald

CURRENT BRIEF VERSION: AVMA’s My Veterinary Life has published a new podcast episode, “Kindness, Community, and Conservation: An Update with Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald,” bringing back the Denver small animal veterinarian, longtime Emergency Vets personality, author, comedian, and conservation advocate for a follow-up conversation. Fitzgerald’s broader public profile is well established: he spent nearly 30 years at VCA Alameda East Veterinary Hospital, has served on the Denver Zoo board since 2009, and has worked on endangered-species expeditions around the world. In the new episode, AVMA frames the conversation around kindness, community, and conservation, themes that fit both Fitzgerald’s long-running message and a wider My Veterinary Life pattern of spotlighting veterinarians and trainees who connect clinical work with access to care, courage, compassion, and public service. Recent episodes have highlighted Spectrum of Care leaders discussing “be kind and be brave,” student entrepreneur Mary Emfinger’s path from parvo ICU work to veterinary school, and Dr. Jon Geller’s cross-border animal relief efforts in Ukraine and Gaza. (drkevinfitzgerald.com)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the episode reflects a widening view of veterinary influence beyond exam rooms and hospitals. Fitzgerald’s career, like Cornell’s recent “bio-diplomat” podcast featuring wildlife health leader Dr. Steve Osofsky, underscores how clinical practice, community trust, One Health thinking, and conservation advocacy increasingly intersect. It also aligns with AVMA’s broader podcast messaging around access to care, Spectrum of Care, student resilience, and humanitarian response — all relevant for practices trying to connect with pet parents on public-facing issues, from responsible pet care and coexistence with wildlife to the profession’s role in animal welfare and ecosystem health. (vet.cornell.edu)

What to watch: Expect continued interest in stories that position veterinarians as community advocates, not just clinicians, especially as AVMA and academic institutions keep elevating wellbeing, mentorship, access to care, One Health, and conservation in their media and outreach. (avma.org)