Claire Cameron is an Registered Veterinary Nurse who has built her career to span clinical practice, commercial leadership and technology-focused roles. Having spent time working in practice, Claire then branched out into working with the core technological systems that vet practices use each day. Now, she works at Covet as a Sales Manager, where she is able to do what she loves and apply her clinical knowledge to a veterinary technology context. In this interview, Claire discusses the change in her career, what motivated her to move away from her clinical role and how she has navigated a non-traditional veterinary career path.
Could you start by giving us a brief overview of your career journey so far?
I trained and qualified as a Registered Veterinary Nurse and spent the early part of my career in clinical practice, working hands-on with patients, clients, and veterinary teams. Alongside clinical work, I became increasingly interested in what happens around the consult, particularly the systems, processes, and tools that either support good medicine or quietly make it harder.
My move into industry began when I became Technical Sales and Marketing Manager at Vet Direct, working closely with clinical equipment used daily in practice. That role sparked a deeper curiosity about how technology can influence workflows, clinical outcomes, and the overall experience for veterinary teams, as well as what additional tools might better support them.
This curiosity led me further into the veterinary technology space, initially through customer success roles and later into senior leadership positions. I have since worked closely with independent practices and large veterinary groups globally helping teams adopt technology that is grounded in real clinical workflows. Today, I work at the intersection of veterinary medicine, technology, and commercial strategy. I am currently Sales Manager for Europe at CoVet, a role that aligns closely with my belief that technology should be built by people who understand life in the clinic and designed to genuinely support clinical teams.
What prompted your move out of clinical practice? How did you find the transition into a more business-focused role?
I was drawn to roles where I could still support veterinary teams, but at scale, particularly by addressing challenges that sit around the consultation.
The transition into a business focused role was not always straightforward. It required learning new skills quickly and, at times advocating for the value of clinical insight in non-clinical settings. Over time, my nursing background became my biggest strength. It allows me to bridge the gap between clinical reality and commercial decision-making, and to champion tools that are intuitive, practical, and genuinely useful in practice.
What has been your biggest challenge in navigating a non-traditional veterinary career path, and how did you overcome it?
Imposter syndrome has been one of the biggest challenges, particularly early on when I was often the only nurse or one of very few women in the room. I sometimes felt pressure to translate my experience into business language to be taken seriously.
I overcame this by reframing how I viewed my background. Clinical experience is not something to justify, it is a differentiator. Speaking from lived experience and backing that perspective has allowed me to contribute meaningfully to discussions around technology design, adoption, and leadership.
What do you count as your greatest career success, and what learning did you gain from it?
My greatest career success has been building trust with veterinary teams during periods of change, particularly when introducing new technology into already busy clinical environments. Earlier in my career, working alongside Leon Wright at Vet Direct and learning from his deep commercial knowledge and compassion played a key role in shaping how I approach this. That experience gave me the confidence to step into more commercially focused roles while staying firmly grounded in my clinical background.
It taught me that successful change is not about having all the answers or pushing solutions. It is about listening carefully, understanding real clinical pressures, and involving teams in the process from the start. When technology is implemented in this way, it can reduce stress, improve consistency, and give clinicians back valuable time. That learning continues to shape how I work with veterinary teams today.
What advice would you give to other vet women who are interested in exploring a business or technology focused career path?
Do not underestimate the value of your clinical experience. You do not leave it behind when you move into industry, it becomes your foundation. Be curious, ask questions confidently, and do not wait until you feel completely ready to take the leap.
Seek out conversations with people already working in roles you are interested in. Mentorship, visibility, and informal guidance can make a huge difference, and non-linear career paths are not only valid but often incredibly impactful.
You have experienced the profession from both practice and industry. How do you see technology influencing the future of veterinary work?
AI has the potential to be genuinely transformative when it is developed with real clinical input and used thoughtfully. Its greatest value lies in reducing administrative burden, supporting high-quality clinical records, and allowing clinicians to spend more time focused on patients and clients.
In my current role at CoVet, this means building technology alongside the people who use it. Our team includes veterinary professionals, and product development is shaped by continuous feedback from practices using the platform day to day. Features are informed by real clinical workflows, from how consultations actually sound to the pressures teams face during busy clinics, out-of-hours work, and complex cases.
AI should support clinical judgement, not replace it. When tools are designed by people who understand veterinary medicine and refined through direct feedback from clinical teams, they can improve well-being, efficiency, and the quality and consistency of care without adding friction or complexity.
What has been essential to you on your career journey?
Self-belief, even when it took time to develop, and the support of mentors and peers who understood both the clinical and non-clinical sides of the profession. Staying connected to my why, improving life in the clinic, has helped guide decisions when opportunities or roles felt uncertain.
You have experienced the profession from both practice and industry. How do you see technology influencing the future of veterinary work?
I see a real opportunity in how AI is being used to support veterinary teams day to day. When technology is designed around real clinical workflows, it can reduce cognitive load, improve the quality and consistency of clinical records, and remove much of the administrative friction that sits around the consult.
In practice, teams tell us that having accurate notes created in real time allows them to stay present with clients, make better eye contact, and finish their day without hours of catch-up admin. Others describe feeling more confident in the consistency of their records, particularly during busy clinics or complex cases, knowing that important details are captured without having to rely on memory or rushed typing.
Used thoughtfully, AI gives clinicians more headspace to focus on patients, clients, and clinical decision-making. By embedding intelligent tools into everyday practice in a way that feels intuitive rather than disruptive, technology has the potential to make veterinary medicine more sustainable and more rewarding for the people working within it.
You’ve experienced leadership from both sides of the profession. What differences did you notice, and are there aspects of industry leadership that could positively influence the veterinary profession?
One of the biggest differences I have noticed is the space industry leadership often creates for reflection, feedback, and long-term thinking. There is generally more emphasis on structured development, open dialogue, and intentional culture-building, whereas leadership in practice is often shaped by the pace and pressures of clinical work.
That said, leadership within veterinary practice brings a depth of empathy, pragmatism, and adaptability that is incredibly powerful. I believe the profession has an opportunity to combine the strengths of both approaches. Bringing more structured support, psychological safety, and thoughtful use of technology into practice, while preserving the compassion and resilience already present in clinical teams, could have a very positive impact on the sustainability of the profession.
You may also like:
AI Scribes in Veterinary Medicine
Creating your own opportunities as a veterinary nurse – Elle Payne
Tales of a Vet Nurse: Jade Pengelly reveals her passion for a career in nursing