From Lectures to Likes: Veterinary education is evolving (#289)

Once upon a time, the only way to learn from a veterinarian was in person. In the lecture hall, in the lab, in a practice or on a rural placement, where you followed your supervisor’s every move.

Influence in veterinary education was earned over decades: through research, service, clinical experience and teaching excellence.

You gained respect by publishing in peer-reviewed journals, mentoring students, and maybe, if you were lucky, presenting at major conferences.

But today? A vet with a stethoscope, a smartphone, and a story to tell, can reach millions in a matter of minutes.

So, when did veterinary educators become veterinary influencers?

The Traditional Influencer: A Quiet Giant in the Field

Let’s be clear, veterinarians have always been influencers in the truest sense. The professor who taught generations of students about anesthetic protocols? The rural vet whose calm handling of a dystocia taught you more than any textbook ever could? These were (and still are) the influencers of our profession. Long before TikTok made that a job title.

Their influence shaped practices, saved lives, and in many cases, inspired the next wave of veterinarians. But their reach was often confined to classrooms, lecture halls, and clinical rotations.

The Digital Shift: COVID-19 and the smartphone

The real pivot came in the late 2010s.

This change accelerated sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic.

When physical classrooms shut down, veterinary education scrambled to adapt. Zoom replaced anatomy labs. Clinical skills were demonstrated on camera. And veterinary educators, many of whom had never ventured into social media, suddenly found themselves filming tutorials, recording lectures, and answering questions in Instagram comments.

In parallel, a new breed of veterinarian emerged: the veterinary influencer.

These are the vets who share everything from behind-the-scenes surgery footage to mental health struggles, from day-in-the-life vlogs to myth-busting reels about pet nutrition. Some are new grads; others are seasoned clinicians. Some aim to educate fellow vets; others speak directly to pet owners. And some, intriguingly, do both.

Credentials vs. Charisma: Who Gets to Teach Online?

Here's where it gets interesting, and a bit controversial.

In the world of veterinary influencing, credentials still matter... But maybe not as much as they used to.

Online, what matters most is clarity, relatability, and storytelling.

A board-certified specialist might share brilliant insights, but if their content is dry or inaccessible, it won’t resonate. Meanwhile, a charismatic new grad with a knack for explaining things in plain English might rack up followers by the thousands.

That’s not inherently bad. In fact, it can be a positive. Social media has made veterinary knowledge more accessible than ever before. But it also raises questions:

Who’s checking the facts?

Are influencers accountable in the same way professors or continuing education providers are?

And what happens when popularity is mistaken for expertise?

The Rise of the "Edu-fluencer" in Vet Med

Some of the most effective veterinary influencers are bridging this gap. They’re credentialed professionals who’ve learned to speak the language of the internet. They cite sources, build trust, and use their platforms not just for engagement, but for genuine education.

In doing so, they’re not replacing traditional educators. They’re expanding the reach of veterinary education. And that’s powerful.

Rick’s Commentary

The shift from lecturer to influencer doesn’t mean that we have to abandon academic rigor. It means we’re adapting it for a new era. One shaped not just by technology, but by generational expectations.

Veterinarians who trained in the 1970s or '80s (many of whom now hold senior positions in education and clinical leadership) came up in a system where deference to authority, textbooks, and traditional hierarchies were the norm. Knowledge was passed down in-person, and influence came with years of service and formal credentials.

But the rising generations - Millennials and especially Gen Z - have grown up with on-demand learning, visual storytelling, and peer-to-peer validation. They’re more likely to Google a procedure, watch a YouTube walkthrough, or ask for advice in a subreddit than wait for a lecture next Thursday. They don’t want to wait. They want access, now.

To them, a vet who explains something clearly in a 60-second TikTok isn’t “less serious.” They’re meeting a need. If that vet is also kind, funny, and honest about their struggles? Even better.

Trust, for younger generations, is built through transparency and relatability, not just titles and tenure.

So, what we’re really seeing isn’t the erosion of veterinary education.

It is the evolution of veterinary education.

And that evolution is being shaped by the way each generation learns, communicates, and seeks mentorship.

Veterinary influencers who combine clinical credibility with digital fluency are building bridges between generations. They remind us that while the format may change - blackboard to Instagram reel, grand rounds to livestream panel discussions - the heart of the profession remains the same:

To educate. To elevate. And to keep learning ourselves.

I was taught that the key to being an effective educator is to know your audience.

Well, the audience has changed!

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