“As far back as I can remember, there’s just always been the empathy and passion for just taking care of pets. Seeing it in my own home through the lens of my grandfather, who I have never known to not own a dog,” Harrison tells Fortune. “Pets were a part of my family and my home. From an early age, I’ve always known I wanted to do this.”

Harrion’s love for her German shepherds, dobermans, rottweilers, and cat named Nieto echoes the same deep affection many U.S. families have for their pets. Housing four-legged companions is a nationwide phenomenon—about 45.5% of American households own dogs and 32.1% own cats, according to a 2024 report from the American Veterinary Medical Association. And they’re willing to splurge on their fur babies; every year, the average household spends $580 on their dogs and $433 on their cats.

The Banfield executive witnessed a surge in demand for veterinarians during the pandemic, and the business hasn’t seen growth slow down since.

“Small animal companion medicine has grown dramatically over the years, and especially since COVID, when people were clearing the shelters and looking for companionship in a time of unknown,” Harrison says.

This popularity of owning pets has likely surged due to a couple factors: fewer young adults can afford to raise children and start a family, and a loneliness epidemic has sent many looking for comfort. And the pet care industry has been growing steeply because of it, with veterinarians making the top of this year’s “hottest jobs” list from Indeed. It ranked higher than other occupations like attorneys, paralegals, and multiple engineering roles. 

Making her way from a veterinarian at Banfield Pet Hospital to chief medical officer, Harrison has some lessons and hot tips for those looking to get into one of the most popular professions. 

The climb from veterinarian to chief medical officer

Becoming a veterinarian requires some intellectual elbow grease, and the competition is fierce to get there. 

Harrison first chose to become a veterinarian late in her undergrad years at North Carolina Central University, where she met a veterinarian she could relate to. Before then, she didn’t have the resources to test the waters of the profession. 

“I didn’t have the opportunity to experience it until college, where I had a work study program at a laboratory and I worked with a Black male veterinarian. He took me under his wing and showed me what was possible,” Harrison says. “Most stories I hear are generational, or they were given opportunities early on. That just was not my story.”

Once she realized her passion, she took a gap year after graduating and attended a prospective veterinary program at Tuskegee University. Harrison says it’s also common for people to go straight into veterinary school out of undergraduate—as long as they have a strong background in relevant studies like biology, chemistry, and math. Back in the early 2000’s when she got her vet degree, she had to take a standardized test called the VCAT to apply. Nowadays, those interested need a GRE score. 

But the buck doesn’t stop at nailing a standardized test—the competition is fierce. Harrison says applicants need to stand out. 

“The competition is pretty steep to get in, which means you had to make sure that you knew your resume was attractive,” she says. 

Harrison then secured her degree from the Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine in just two years and some change, while most others take about four years to finish. Wrapping up school in a shorter amount of time was grueling, but the grind didn’t stop there. Harrison stepped into her role as a veterinarian—earning between $120,000 to $170,000 per year, according to Banfield’s job listings—and work instantly took off. 

“Day one, I was in surgery. I came out of doing surgeries and seeing appointments, to having to coach, delegate, and direct my team,” she says. “The bottom line is, your days are long. I used to get in at seven or eight in the morning, and not leave till seven at night. I worked sometimes six or seven days a week. I wanted to get that muscle memory.”

The long hours caring for four-legged friends paid off, and she started to grow within the hospital. Over her 18-year stint at the organization, she has risen within the ranks from associate doctor, to director of veterinary quality, to chief medical officer. Harrison has constructed teams, led markets of 25 locations, and moved onto regions spanning 400 hospitals. Not every veterinarian will want to step into a leadership position, she says, but she felt the pull after seeing the scope of what needed to be done. 

“You enter into this profession, and you quickly realize, ‘Oh my goodness, there’s a need everywhere,’” Harrison says.

Advice and insight into the ‘hottest’ profession for 2025

It’s a dog-eat-dog world, and with competition being so high, some might get discouraged from trying. But Harrison says it’s always doable—and absolutely worth it. 

“I encourage anybody who has thought, ‘Man, wouldn’t it be cool to be a veterinarian?’ to investigate what that could look like. I’ve had so many doctors say that this has been their second or third career going to vet school when most people are thinking about retiring,” she says. “It’s important to know it’s never too late.”

She says the industry is full of diverse opportunities, and that there’s something for everyone. Whether it be checking people in, working with the animals directly, or overseeing from an executive position, there’s demand. But when it comes to the “hottest” job of 2025, hospitals are in short supply. Being a veterinarian is rewarding, but requires a certain level of fortitude. 

“We are in a space where we need vets. We need vets in shelters. We need vets in large animal, and vets in small animal [fields],” she says. “There is a grit that you have to have as a veterinarian.”

Beyond the battle for jobs and overbooked schedules, Harrison drives home that taking care of animals is food for the soul. The average salary for veterinarians is comfortable and demand for the role is high, but at the end of the day, the impact is most rewarding. 

“Every day we were grinding, but we did it with laughter and joy. It’s grueling—you’re on your knees, laying on the floor, doing surgery, seeing puppies, then having to have an end of life discussion,” Harrison says. “There are so many ebbs and flows on the day of a veterinarian, but I love my patients. I miss being able to just love on them every single day.”