How a recent grad became an AI founder in veterinary medicine
CURRENT BRIEF VERSION: A new profile and podcast conversation are putting a spotlight on Jason Szumski, DVM, a 2023 University of Illinois graduate who quickly moved from early-career practice into AI entrepreneurship as co-founder of VetSOAP, an AI documentation platform for veterinary teams. In a University of Illinois alumni feature published in April 2024, Szumski and co-founder Aaron Smiley, DVM, said the tool was built to turn exam-room audio into SOAP notes, with the goal of reducing documentation time and supporting new graduates who may lack ready access to mentorship. A Vet Life Reimagined interview adds more detail to that picture, describing Szumski as a full-time veterinarian at a 24/7 ER/GP hospital who has spoken publicly about using AI not just for note generation, but also to study clinical conversations through a research partnership with PetSmart Charities focused on the gap between care veterinarians recommend and care clients ultimately accept. AAHA also featured VetSOAP in a 2024 roundup of AI applications in practice, framing AI-assisted SOAP tools as part of a broader push to improve productivity, communication, and record quality in companion animal care. (vetmed.illinois.edu)
Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, Szumski’s story reflects several workforce trends happening at once: newer graduates are entering the field with stronger comfort around digital tools, practices are looking to AI to ease administrative load without pulling clinicians away from patient care, and the profession is increasingly talking about “golden outcomes” rather than a single gold-standard path when clients face real-world limits. That interest is already material. A 2024 Digitail-AAHA survey found 39.2% of veterinary professionals reported using AI tools in practice, while Dr. Andy Roark’s recent discussion of AI scribes emphasized both the appeal—less administrative work, more enjoyable days in practice—and the need to watch for accuracy, oversight, and unintended downsides as adoption grows. Broader innovation conversations in veterinary media are also pushing a similar theme: AI should function as a co-pilot that supports relationship-centered care, not replace it. (prnewswire.com)
What to watch: Expect more scrutiny of how veterinary AI scribes are validated, integrated into workflow, and governed as adoption moves from early beta tools toward routine clinical use. Another emerging question is whether these tools can do more than save time—such as helping teams better understand communication gaps, support spectrum-of-care decision-making, and make practice more sustainable without weakening clinical judgment. (vetmed.illinois.edu)