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Story contact: Nicholas Childress, CVMMarCom@missouri.edu
Photos by Karen Clifford
Jess Taylor Brune, DVM, makes some of her most critical decisions long before a patient ever enters the operating room.
As a veterinary anesthesiology resident, her work demands preparation, judgment and a calm command when animals are at their most vulnerable. Much of that work happens quietly and behind the scenes, but it helps shape every outcome that follows.
It is also why, years before she will complete her residency program, the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine has invited her to become a faculty member.
That certainty didn’t come from a single moment. It unfolded gradually, shaped by curiosity, mentorship and a university that gave Taylor Brune the freedom to explore, pivot and lead. It also reflects a high level of confidence and speaks to the kind of leader Mizzou is intentional about building and keeping.
A place to explore and a reason to stay
Raised in Hannibal, Missouri, Taylor Brune always knew medicine was in her future. Time spent shadowing veterinarians in her hometown helped connect her ambition to animal care, but when she arrived at Mizzou as an undergraduate, she was still figuring out where she fit.
She chose to major in biology for the flexibility it offered — a way to explore broadly while keeping her options open. Mizzou already felt familiar. Both of her parents were alumni, and she developed a love for the university long before she ever stepped on campus as a student. What ultimately convinced her to stay for her advanced degree, though, was confidence in the education she was receiving and the freedom to discover her path without pressure to rush the decision.
“I came to Mizzou not knowing what areas of medicine I was going to go into,” Taylor Brune said. “But as I started learning more about different fields, I found myself defending veterinary medicine in my mind constantly. I took that as a sign that this was the right field for me.”
As she explored veterinary medicine more deeply, Mizzou continued to stand out. The education, mentorship and opportunities she valued most were already here.
“I looked at other schools, but that was just silly,” she said. “Mizzou continued to stand out. Why not go to a really great school that’s right here?”
After being admitted into Mizzou’s College of Veterinary Medicine, her training took on new momentum.
The path that found her
For much of veterinary school, Taylor Brune gravitated toward emergency medicine. She thrived in fast-paced environments and complex cases that demanded clear thinking under pressure, moments when preparation, decisiveness and teamwork mattered most.
After earning her doctor of veterinary medicine, she was hired as a staff veterinarian at the Veterinary Health Center, splitting her time between emergency and anesthesia services. The dual role gave her a rare opportunity to stay rooted in emergency medicine while gaining deeper exposure to anesthesiology, and it quietly reshaped how she viewed patient care.
What surprised her was how naturally anesthesia aligned with what she already loved.
“Anesthesia brought together the parts of emergency medicine I enjoyed most,” Taylor Brune said. “Critical thinking, physiology, anticipating problems before they happen, but with the added ability to prepare and control the situation in a really intentional way.”
Under the mentorship of Alex Bukoski, DVM, PhD, DACVAA, she began to see anesthesiology not as a pivot away from emergency medicine, but as an extension of it. Bukoski encouraged her to lean into that strength. That decision ultimately led Taylor Brune to accept an anesthesiology residency at Mizzou, with a faculty appointment to follow upon completion in 2027.
“We were already impressed with Jess when she was hired as a staff veterinarian after graduation,” Bukoski said. “We quickly realized she has an aptitude for anesthesiology, and when you combine that with her natural ability to teach and lead, offering her a residency and faculty position was an obvious choice.”
Learning on the way to leading
Now a second-year resident in veterinary anesthesiology, Taylor Brune balances advanced clinical training with teaching and mentorship, helping students build confidence in a specialty that can feel intimidating.
“That’s the best type of learning,” she said. “You go figure it out, then you teach it to a student. It forces you to really know what you’re talking about.”
Anesthesiology requires constant assessment and quick decision-making, and Taylor Brune is intentional about helping students trust their training.
“I want them to leave thinking, ‘Wow, I can do this,’” she said. “Anesthesia doesn’t have to be scary.”
As a future faculty member, her goal is to help students become calm, capable clinicians who trust their training and approach complex cases with flexibility. It is the same mindset her mentors instilled in her.
“They’ve made me a better doctor and a better person,” she said. “I’m incredibly excited to eventually join the faculty and help create that same environment for future students and our clients.”
From an undecided undergraduate to anesthesiology resident to future faculty member, Jess Taylor Brune’s journey reflects what Mizzou does with intention: cultivate talent, challenge it fully and invest in leaders who elevate those around them.
Because at the Mizzou College of Veterinary Medicine, leadership isn’t accidental. It is built one student, one resident and one future faculty member at a time.