New SAVMA president brings student voice to VPA debate

Spencer Stelly, a third-year veterinary student at LSU, has taken over as president of the Student American Veterinary Medical Association, the national student arm of AVMA, according to Vet Candy Radio’s profile and LSU’s student leadership listings. In the interview, Stelly said he once imagined a future in musical theater, but is now focused on representing veterinary students nationwide, with particular emphasis on opposing creation of a veterinary mid-level practitioner role, often called the veterinary professional associate, or VPA. LSU’s SAVMA chapter lists Stelly as a member of the class of 2027 and a current student leader, underscoring his established involvement in organized veterinary medicine. Vet Candy’s related profile of president-elect Cayden Smith adds more context to the incoming leadership team: Smith, a second-year student at Long Island University, has held multiple student leadership roles and describes herself as comfortable still figuring out her eventual career path while staying grounded in a “follow your passion” approach to purpose and professional development. (lsu.edu)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, Stelly’s rise is notable because SAVMA has long served as the student voice within AVMA governance, and the organization’s leadership often shapes how future veterinarians engage on policy, workforce, debt, wellbeing, and scope-of-practice debates. His stated opposition to the VPA role also lands at a moment when the issue remains active beyond Colorado, with AVMA continuing to oppose a mid-level practitioner position and several veterinary groups, including AAHA and AAEP, publicly taking the same stance. At the same time, the broader SAVMA leadership team appears to be pairing policy engagement with a more personal, student-centered tone through figures like Smith, whose profile emphasizes stress management, curiosity, and comfort with uncertainty rather than a rigid career script. (avma.org)

What to watch: Watch how Stelly uses the SAVMA presidency over the 2026 cycle to influence student messaging around workforce shortages, technician utilization, and the profession’s response to mid-level practitioner proposals — and whether he and Smith together shape a leadership style that blends formal advocacy with a more human-centered message about student wellbeing, identity formation, and career exploration. (aav.org)