Debra Nickelson, DVM, MBA, is a long-time veterinary industry professional and the founder of the consulting company Trillium C LLC. At the 2025 VMX Veterinary Meeting, she gave a presentation about working in veterinary industry and what that entails.
Nickelson began her career in mixed animal practice. She said that while she loved clinical practice, she also enjoyed problem-solving, public speaking, and educating others. When she stepped back and assessed her long-term goals, she realized industry might be a good fit. She ultimately worked for six different animal health companies before starting her own business.
What Is Veterinary Industry?
Veterinary industry describes companies that provide products and services to customers, who could be veterinarians, animal owners, or other people in the industry, said Nickelson. “It’s the same thing that you do in clinical practice—you provide, market, and sell products and services,” she said. “You don’t think you’re in sales, but you are because you have to convince your clients to go with your recommended services and products.”
Companies that employ veterinarians include those that manufacture, provide, or market pharmaceuticals, biologics, medical supplies and equipment, diagnostic services and equipment, and pet and livestock insurance. They also include feed companies, animal health distributors, and nonprofit agencies, among others.
Industry veterinarians might perform a variety of tasks, including research, regulatory affairs, product support, communications, KOL (key opinion leader) liaison, facilitating mergers and acquisitions, marketing, and technical services. Nickelson said most veterinarians already have the skills required to succeed in industry (e.g., business, budgeting, communication, problem-solving, sales, prioritization) thanks to their clinical experience.
Things to Consider
While her career in veterinary industry has been “so much fun and very rewarding,” Nickelson acknowledged it’s not for everyone. Here are some things to consider:
- It typically requires public speaking (e.g., conference presentations, clinic lunch and learns, etc.), which some people aren’t comfortable with.
- You might need to travel a lot.
- There’s pressure to make a profit. “These companies live and die by the numbers,” said Nickelson. “Making a profit is very, very important, especially if it’s a publicly traded company where the shareholders have expectations on what this company’s performance should be.”
- With the ever-present possibility of mergers and acquisitions, there’s no guarantee of company longevity, which she said can be stressful.
- You might not get to work hands-on with animals.
How to Get a Job in Industry
When looking for a veterinary industry job, Nickelson recommended:
- Networking constantly.
- Searching company career portals and other websites, such as the AVMA career center and thevetrecruiter.com.
- Visiting with sales representatives and trade show exhibitors.
- Treating every contact like a potential job interview.
- Creating an updated, functional resume and LinkedIn profile.
- Working with a recruiter.
- Joining the American Association of Industry Veterinarians (AAIV, aaivet.org)
Strengthen your skills and make new contacts by:
- Volunteering, including in nonveterinary roles.
- Capitalizing on speaking, media, and writing gigs.
- Performing clinical trials for a company.
- Gaining business experience at your clinic.
Nickelson recommended practicing your elevator speech and honing the reasons you want to work in industry, which might include seeking a new challenge, wanting to broaden your skills, looking to be involved in business, appreciating performance-based pay, or desiring to have a greater influence and impact on the veterinary profession.
Take-Home Message
A veterinary degree provides many opportunities and potential for professional growth. “Careers in industry are just as rewarding as practice but often impact the entire profession,” said Nickelson.
In closing, she offered this advice: “Always be positive about veterinary practice because your practitioner colleagues are the customers of the companies with whom you will work. Don’t burn any bridges, because you may have to cross that bridge to work with another company. Veterinary industry is a relatively small group—you will know most people, and most people will know you.”
For those seeking a veterinary industry job, be enthusiastic and don’t give up, she said.
Related Reading
- Business Briefs: Important Equine Veterinary Industry Statistics
- The Top Factors Influencing Equine Veterinarians’ Job Satisfaction
- Leaving Equine Practice: By the Numbers
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