In this episode of Doc Secret, our guest is Dr. Shadi Ireifej, Founder of VetTriage and board-certified small animal surgeon. Born to immigrant parents in Yonkers, New York, Shadi’s path took him from SUNY Binghamton to Cornell’s elite veterinary program, where he discovered a passion for surgery. After years as a staff surgeon, hospital owner, and chief medical officer, he made a bold career shift—leaving the operating room to pioneer veterinary telehealth. He built VetTriage from the ground up, launching a global platform that provides pet owners with on-demand access to veterinarians while improving work-life balance for practitioners. In this episode, Shadi shares his personal story, the entrepreneurial journey of VetTriage, and his vision for the future of veterinary medicine—including legislation, tele-mentorship, AI, and access to care.

Doc Secret is sponsored by Quantics Marketing, LLC. https://www.quanticsmarketing.com/

00:00 – Meet Dr. Shadi Ireifej: Surgeon turned Telehealth Pioneer
02:26 – Immigrant roots, early inspiration, and veterinary beginnings
07:46 – Discovering surgery at Cornell and shaping a career path
08:15 – The origin story of VetTriage: from phone triage to global platform
11:05 – From surgeon to entrepreneur: making the leap
13:12 – Breaking even in six months: early growth and team building
18:21 – Technology, regulation, and building a gold-standard platform
22:20 – Early success stories and validation moments
33:32 – Tackling veterinary burnout and staff shortages with telehealth
49:04 – Legislative change, AI applications, and the future of VetTriage
01:07:36 – Lightning Round and Close