From vet school to AI founder, a new vet career path takes shape

Version 1 — Brief

A new wave of veterinary innovation is being shaped by clinicians early in their careers, and Jason Szumski, DVM, is one of the clearer examples. In a recent Vet Life Reimagined episode, Szumski discussed his path from veterinary school to co-founding VetSOAP, an AI documentation company built with Aaron Smiley, DVM. University of Illinois’ College of Veterinary Medicine previously highlighted the startup as software that turns audio recordings into SOAP notes, with Szumski’s experience as a new graduate helping shape features aimed at record creation and article-supported clinical guidance. His story also fits a broader theme emerging across Vet Life Reimagined: veterinary leaders with nontraditional or hybrid backgrounds are increasingly helping define how technology gets used in practice, with the stated goal of making care more sustainable and more human rather than less. (vetmed.illinois.edu)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, this story is less about one founder than about which skills are becoming valuable in the workforce: adaptability, workflow design, communication, business fluency, and enough AI literacy to evaluate tools critically. That matters because AI scribes are being promoted as a way to reduce documentation burden and act more like a “co-pilot” than a replacement, but regulators and commentators are also warning that veterinarians remain responsible for the final medical record, data security, and informed consent when AI is used in higher-risk ways. Dr. Andy Roark and veterinarian AI governance advisor Petra Harms have both argued that adoption needs guardrails, not just enthusiasm. (drandyroark.com)

What to watch: Expect more scrutiny of how veterinary AI tools handle privacy, consent, record quality, and whether they genuinely support relationship-centered care as adoption spreads and state boards weigh guidance. (aavsb.org)