Lucy Williams MRCVS is a veterinary surgeon who has built a career beyond clinical practice, working at the intersection of veterinary science, marketing and strategy. After gaining experience across independent and corporate practices, as well as locuming, Lucy made the move into industry to pursue a role that better aligned with her creative strengths and long-term career goals.
Now Marketing Manager at Carus Animal Health, she combines her clinical insight with a passion for evidence-based marketing, research and innovation. Having navigated a significant career transition, Lucy brings an honest perspective on redefining success, sustainability and fulfilment within the veterinary profession.
Please summarise your journey / biography
I graduated from the university of Liverpool in 2018 and went straight into first opinion clinical practice in and around London. Over that time, I worked permanently in independent practices and corporates and also as a locum, so I got to see a lot of different things.
After several years in practice, I decided to transition into industry, taking on a Veterinary Technical Advisor role for a year and a half. This was a fantastic opportunity for me to broaden my experience outside of vet practice. My role there involved offering technical advice for veterinary professionals and owners, writing science-backed copy and supporting sales teams with technical information. This gave me a lot of exposure to different areas of veterinary business and tech and ultimately helped me to cement where my interests lay.
Realising that marketing and strategy were where my main interests were focused, I found the role of Marketing Manager at Carus Animal Health, where I am currently working today. The company grants me an excellent opportunity to use my clinical knowledge from practice alongside my scientific and marketing knowledge that I developed as a Veterinary Technical Advisor. Because the company is still relatively small, I also get to gain experience in several different areas – still working closely on the research and content creation side of things, but also getting to contribute to strategic planning, budgets and clinical studies. Being so involved in the business makes me excited to see what’s coming up in the pipeline, especially when this addresses genuine gaps in the diagnostic market or focuses on antibiotic alternatives to help tackle the rising issue of antimicrobial resistance.
I’m very passionate about my current role and I feel that I can really have an impact in a completely different way to when I was a clinician. Being able to dedicate time to research has really deepened my knowledge in several key areas, which is something that can be hard to maintain in a busy veterinary practice. More recently, my work has increasingly focused on gastrointestinal health, and launching GIQuest has allowed me to draw on that accumulated experience across my roles and research to support practices in a more meaningful way.
Describe your typical day from waking to sleeping
I work from home four days a week, so those are very much my ‘typical’ days. Priority is always to feed the begging cats and then I settle with a coffee in my egg chair in the garden to ease into the day.
Once I log in to my emails, I prioritise anything immediate and then the day can properly begin. No two days look the same, sometimes I’m planning and strategising, other times I’m generating new ideas for campaigns or designing the creative for it. I also contribute to technical support, liaise with external contractors and work on budgets, so my days really are varied.
Another big part of my role is research. That could be exploring future products and biomarkers, conducting market research, or supporting wholesaler marketing support. I’m also involved in budgeting, sponsorship, and organising our conference schedules. There are usually a few meetings in my calendar each week, but my work is mostly self-led. However, my husband also works from home, so I have company all day to – we love it!
After a busy day, most evenings include a fitness class of some sort, usually yoga, pilates or spin, followed by some reading or an episode of TV before bed.
What prompted your move out of clinical practice? How did you find the transition into an industry role?
After over five years in clinical veterinary practice, I reached a point where I began to reflect more deeply on what I wanted my long-term career to look like. I loved the core part of the work – surgery and complex medical cases were really fulfilling for me, but what I loved most about clinical work was the people. Working alongside passionate colleagues and supporting clients was a huge source of joy for me and something I continue to value highly.
At the same time, I started to realise that something was missing. While clinical practice is incredibly rewarding, my creative side wasn’t being used. I also found the emotional weight of cases increasingly followed me home. Worrying outside of work, missing dinners and weekends due to on-call or emergency work and finding it hard to fully switch off became common. Over time, this made me question the sustainability of that lifestyle for myself.
A defining moment came when I looked ahead at the opportunities available to me in clinical practice if I wanted to advance my career. The main paths I could see were to specialise through further certification or move to a referral practice or into practice ownership. When the opportunity for partnership arose, it gave me real clarity. I realised that practice ownership would not give me the life I wanted outside of work. I know myself well enough to recognise that I would struggle to create and protect the balance I need and I would have continued to put work first unless I actively chose a different path.
That reflection helped me understand that I wanted a career with clear progression opportunities and stages. This would need to be something I could work towards and grow within, while still feeling fulfilled day-to-day. So, I looked for a role that allowed me to use my veterinary qualification and scientific knowledge, but also gave space for creativity, strategic thinking, and communication. Equally important to me was working in an environment with support, mentorship, and the chance to keep developing professionally.
Transitioning into industry in a veterinary marketing role felt like a natural next step. It allows me to stay closely connected to the profession and people I care deeply about, while making an impact at a broader level. It also offers a clear progression pathway and a way for me to build a career that aligns with both my ambition and the life I want outside of work.
What has been your greatest career success and what have you learned from this?
I think my biggest success was knowing what was right for me and leaving clinical work. I still have days where I romanticise being back in practice and I think there is still a level of guilt I feel for ‘leaving’ a part of the profession I loved so much, especially when it is struggling, but ultimately it was the best decision for me.
Making the decision to step away allowed me to intentionally build a career that better uses the full range of my skills. Moving into industry has enabled me to apply my veterinary and scientific knowledge in a broader context, while also embracing creativity and strategic thinking. It has given me clear progression opportunities, access to mentorship, and a sense that I am working towards something with long-term growth. I’ve also been able to work on very exciting projects in my current role, such as GIQuest, which I think could really make a difference to veterinary professionals.
Most importantly, it has allowed me to actively make space for a fulfilling life outside of work, which is something I knew I would struggle to protect in clinical practice. Choosing a path that aligns with both my ambition and wellbeing has been a real success in my career.
What has been your biggest challenge, setback or failure and how have you overcome it? How did you grow or change as a result?
Paradoxically, leaving clinical practice also feels like my biggest career failure. This isn’t because it was the wrong decision, but it represented letting go of a version of success I had worked towards for many years. It wasn’t just a job; it was an identity – something people associated me with and something that shaped how I saw myself. Stepping away from that made it difficult to explain my decision to others, and even to myself at times.
For a long time, I viewed success as progressing through clinical milestones: getting into university, graduating, specialising or owning a practice. Realising that these options didn’t align with the life I wanted forced me to confront feelings of guilt, self-doubt, and the fear of disappointing people, including myself. It felt, at times, like admitting defeat rather than redefining success.
Over time, I’ve come to understand that this perceived failure was a turning point. It taught me that fulfilment comes from alignment not endurance and that redefining success can be just as challenging, and valuable, as achieving it.
What compromises have you had to make and what, if anything, could have helped?
As with many veterinary professionals, I knew pursuing veterinary medicine would mean making compromises. By the time I was 18, I had completed 27 weeks of work experience and used most school holidays to get exposure and skills in practice that would help me get in to vet school. That meant my holidays looked very different from my friends’, and I missed out on experiences that felt normal for my age.
Those compromises didn’t stop at university. Long lectures, placements and on-call shifts often made it hard to see non-vet friends whose schedules were so different. In clinical practice, emergencies can change your plans at a moment’s notice, and it’s not always easy to switch off.
Looking back, it was all worth it for a career I genuinely love. What would have helped along the way was a bit more support and understanding from mentors, peers, or even just some reassurance that the sacrifices were normal and temporary. Knowing that would have made the compromises feel less isolating and made it easier to enjoy the moments in between.
What advice would you have given to your younger self, that you would now give to others wanting to follow your path?
I’d tell my younger self and anyone considering a similar path to be intentional about what you want from both your career and your life. It’s easy to follow the ‘expected’ route, but true fulfilment comes from understanding your strengths and what drains you.
Take opportunities that challenge you, but don’t ignore the need for balance and mentorship. Listen to your own instincts, not just what others define as success. Also remember that leaving a familiar path isn’t always a failure, it can be the start of something more aligned with what you want your life to be.
I couldn’t have got where I am today without…
My husband, family and friends.
What are your three top likes?
Taking up a new hobby
A weekend with no plans
Not being able to put a book down
What are your three top dislikes?
Unkindness
Last minute changes of plans
Unnecessary urgency
What is the most powerful book you’ve read and why?
I can’t choose between The Nightingale and The Women – both by Kristin Hannah. Both at their heart are about the strength, loyalty, and resilience of women supporting each other. I found it powerful because female friendships and connection have always been central in my life. The book reminded me of how crucial those bonds can be, both in tough times and in shaping who we are. It made me reflect on the wonderful women in my own life and the importance of nurturing, trusting, and learning from each other.
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