Interview with the new Chairperson of the AO VET Education Commission: Toby Gemmill

As the new Chairperson of the AO VET Education Commission begins their term on 1 July 2026, we take the opportunity to learn more about their vision for AO VET, the future of veterinary education, and the opportunities that lie ahead for our global community.

Question: AO VET operates in a rapidly evolving educational landscape—what is the one major shift you believe must happen in veterinary education over the next 3–5 years.
 

Toby Gemmill: AO VET has always been focused on developing and delivering education that genuinely improves patient outcomes. For this to continue, it is essential that our educational offerings not only convey knowledge and technical skills but remain relevant and accessible to new generations of surgeons as well more established clinicians. As online learning becomes more and more widespread, alongside the development of high quality digital platforms we have opportunity to optimise the in-person components of our courses and events, ensuring these remain as engaging and inspirational as possible.
 

With increasing competition from universities, private providers, and digital platforms, how will AO VET ensure its education remains distinct, credible, and indispensable.

AO VET has a strong reputation for being the premier provider of postgraduate education in trauma management. However, our offerings in other areas of orthopaedics have been relatively limited and there is a need for development of a wider curriculum that covers all areas of orthopaedics. Taught by high quality, inspirational AO VET faculty, this wider curriculum should be relevant, engaging and accessible to participants, allowing surgeons to engage in lifelong learning through AO VET.

AO is known for its strong educational philosophy—but where do you see the biggest gap today between intention and real-world impact for veterinarians on the ground?

It has been long recognised that there are numerous barriers to surgeons implementing concepts and techniques taught on courses into their hospitals, thus restricting improvements in patient care. Whist some of these factors are outside our control, there are others that can be influenced such as surgeons’ attitudes and confidence leading change in their hospital teams. A renewed focus on these challenges during and following our courses, as well as expanding other opportunities such as fellowships and mentorship, could be highly impactful.
 

The demand for digital learning is rising, yet veterinary surgery is inherently hands-on—how do you envision the right balance without compromising quality.   

For decades the way surgeons learn and consume knowledge has been evolving, and this process is likely to accelerate with the advent of AI. We have long recognised this in respect to formal lectures at courses – these are now used to inspire participants and convey a few key points rather than acting as a conduit for knowledge. It seems likely that knowledge transfer will move further towards digital learning; given the increasing volume of medical research output this is no bad thing. This then gives us the opportunity to re-design the in-person component of our courses, focusing on practical skills, discussions and networking, making these events as engaging and impactful as possible.

As Chairperson, where will you personally focus your energy: setting strategy, ensuring execution, or reshaping governance—and why. 

I see the role of chairperson as balancing these different areas. In the short term, AO VET has a global educational plan that needs to be delivered. Looking at the longer term, it is clear that we face challenges but also opportunities. I am grateful that a huge amount of progress has already been made facing into these challenges and capitalising on opportunities; we all stand on the shoulders of our predecessors. I am looking forward to to engaging with other officers, chairs, faculty and our membership to identify further opportunities and to evolve our strategy and operational plans for the future.