Why Vet Candy’s founder, Dr. Jill Lopez, is psyched for the future
Veterinarian Dr. Jill Lopez has been a phenomenon in the animal health industry almost since the very beginning. Over the last 15 years, has authored dozens of scientific papers, helped detect new canine infectious disease in the US, and so much more.
When she helped detect a new kind of dog flu that had spread from Asia into the U.S. for the first time in 2015, it was Lopez’ idea to enlist the help of others in the animal field to help stop it through developing a program that educate pet care professionals alongside veterinary professionals. The program’s goal was to help support their businesses during large outbreaks that affected thousands of dogs over the next few years.
Her career is studded with great ideas like this- especially those that combine her passion for science and for education. One of her best and brightest ideas however, has been Vet Candy- an exclusive digital hub for the busy veterinary professional that provides veterinary clinical updates, scientific news, and expert lifestyle advice.
As a mother of three, she understood just what it meant to have to keep up with veterinary news, in addition to other life demands. For example, long reads just aren’t great when 5 extra minutes could mean the different between crayon art on the walls, and finding the guilty child just in the nick of time. She created Vet Candy as a place designed for busy people on the go, with short and sweet nuggets of information that could be consumed quickly.
She also wanted to create a platform that tackled the issues she saw in today’s veterinary field. With the majority of veterinary professionals being women but the leadership mostly male, she saw the need for gender balance in the profession. Also, she felt strongly that the profession was in need of diversity and inclusion.
Without new and different viewpoints, there are fewer perspectives on practicing medicine, and it can even stifle new treatments and ideas. In order to see the best possible version of the veterinary world, there needs to be a culture shift and Lopez is determined to see that happens through Vet Candy.
Of course, inclusion isn’t all Jill Lopez aims to change. Her dreams are as big as her ideas. She hopes Vet Candy serves the veterinary community as a resource that will also help with wellbeing, career advice, and do so in a fun way. This is one of the reasons why Vet Candy has such a wide variety of different articles, as well as different forms of media, including podcast programs, video shows, and free continuing education programs.
Mental health in particular is important in veterinary medicine due to the high risk of compassion fatigue for people in this industry. Pet owners often lash out at veterinarians for not being able to help more, and there can be real and terrible consequences to mistakes in veterinary care. The problems with wellbeing start early in the profession, with more than 40% of veterinary students having clinical signs of depression in their first year.
Lopez recognizes this, and has a number of exciting programs offered through Vet Candy. There are articles, podcasts, and shows to help keep vets updated on the latest in medicine, science, and expert lifestyle advice. Vet Candy is a product of Lopez’ commitment to providing engaging experiences for the veterinary audience. By collaborating with the company’s veterinary advisors and lifestyle contributors allowed them to be experimental in our digital development, including creating highly entertaining and engaging continuing education programs — with a goal of making learning fun.
Together, this wide range of topics come together to help show what the future of veterinary medicine might look like. The spotlights show that anyone can become a successful leader in the veterinary profession, no matter what their race, gender, or geographical location.
Science articles help keep vets updated with news about medical discoveries, the environment, and conservation, and there’s plenty of stress relief tips if quarantine has made you feel a little bit too close to your family.
There is still plenty of improvements needed in the veterinary industry, but Lopez has become a major leader in creating a better and brighter world for those in the veterinary world. She continues to add new ideas to Vet Candy every day, and aims to make it a rich and diverse resource for the field of veterinary medicine.
Founded and led by veterinary professionals, Vet Candy delivers world class content with engaging voices and inspirational messages created by a network of top influencers and experts. The company seeks to accelerate a culture shift within the veterinary profession that supports diversity, inclusion, and gender balance. Follow @myvetcandy on social medica to stay connected.
