Jason Szumski highlights a new AI-driven path in veterinary medicine: full analysis
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A recent Vet Life Reimagined episode featuring Jason Szumski, DVM, puts a spotlight on how quickly veterinary career paths are widening, especially for new graduates who see technology as part of clinical problem-solving rather than a separate industry. Szumski, a 2023 University of Illinois graduate, is now both a practicing veterinarian and co-founder of VetSOAP, an AI documentation company built around generating SOAP notes from appointment audio and easing administrative load in practice. (vetsoap.ai)
That framing matters because it reflects a shift in how younger veterinarians are thinking about impact. Instead of viewing clinical work and entrepreneurship as separate tracks, the story presents them as connected. University of Illinois’ April 4, 2024 profile of Szumski and co-founder Aaron Smiley, DVM, described VetSOAP as a response to real friction points in practice, especially the transition from veterinary school to high-volume clinical work. In that piece, Szumski said new graduates often struggle with confidence, case volume, and documentation demands, and argued that AI could help fill some of those gaps. (vetmed.illinois.edu)
The product itself sits in one of the busiest corners of veterinary AI right now: scribes and documentation tools. VetSOAP says its platform can generate editable SOAP notes from recorded conversations, and its current site markets the software at $50 per month with unlimited daily use. A company white paper co-authored by Smiley and Szumski argues that AI-generated SOAP notes can reduce documentation time, improve note detail, and support practice efficiency, although that document is company-produced rather than independent validation. AAHA has also acknowledged growing adoption of AI scribing, including a June 20, 2025 explainer for pet parents that says these tools can improve communication and record completeness when used appropriately. (vetsoap.ai)
The broader industry conversation is becoming more nuanced as adoption rises. On January 19, 2026, Dr. Andy Roark published a podcast episode on what is really happening with AI scribes, featuring Aaron Massecar, PhD, executive director of the Veterinary Innovation Council. The episode description points to potential gains in reduced administrative burden, better medical records, improved client connection, and burnout prevention, but it also frames the issue as something veterinarians should approach thoughtfully, not as a plug-and-play fix. That caution is reinforced by a recent Frontiers audit of commercial veterinary AI, which found inconsistent transparency and validation disclosure across products and argued that veterinary education and continuing education need to build stronger AI literacy. (drandyroark.com)
That mix of optimism and caution is probably the most useful takeaway from Szumski’s story. His appeal is that he’s close to the problem. He’s not describing workflow pain from a distance; he’s describing what it felt like to move from seeing one or two cases a day in school to 12, 13, or 14 in practice, while still trying to maintain note quality and clinical confidence. That perspective helps explain why AI entrepreneurship is resonating with some newer veterinarians: it promises a way to solve daily frustrations that contribute to inefficiency and burnout. (vetmed.illinois.edu)
Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, this is less a profile of one founder than a signal about where the profession is heading. Documentation tools are becoming part of the workforce conversation because they touch productivity, retention, mentoring, and the client experience. If AI scribes reliably reduce after-hours charting and preserve record quality, they could help practices support clinicians without simply asking teams to work faster. But the upside depends on implementation. Practices still need clear policies around review, privacy, informed use, and accountability for the final medical record. The American Association of Veterinary State Boards’ 2025 white paper on AI highlights those governance questions directly, including data security and record-related responsibilities. (aavsb.org)
What to watch: The next phase will likely center on evidence and guardrails. Expect more demand for independent validation, more discussion of regulatory expectations, and more pressure on veterinary schools and CE providers to teach AI literacy alongside clinical skills. As companies like VetSOAP and other veterinary scribe vendors compete for adoption, the differentiators may become less about novelty and more about accuracy, workflow fit, transparency, and trust. (frontiersin.org)