NEW VETERINARY ROLE

COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY’S governing board recently moved to expand statewide access to veterinary care for pets by approving an academic curriculum that will guide the training of midlevel providers known as veterinary professional associates – roles that will provide medical services in between those delivered by veterinary technicians and licensed veterinarians.

The veterinary professional associate, or VPA, is a new role expected to help fill a veterinary shortage that is acute in animal shelters and in many rural communities. VPAs will work under the supervision of vets, much like physician assistants work under the supervision of doctors.

“Veterinary professional associates will fill a critical care gap for rural communities in Colorado,” Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said. “Creating more pathways for students in Colorado to gain the skills necessary to support veterinary medicine is essential to enhancing overall animal health and welfare across Colorado.”

CSU expects to enroll between 20 and 30 students in the new master’s degree program starting in Fall 2025, with the first cohort graduating in Fall 2027. By comparison, CSU’s Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Program graduates about 150 new veterinarians each year; it is ranked the No. 3 veterinary school in the country.

More than a decade ago, veterinary leaders at Colorado State began discussing the VPA role as one potential solution to help fill gaps in the veterinary workforce. That led to curriculum design for the Master of Science in Veterinary Clinical Care, the two-year academic program that will train VPAs.

The program incorporates core aspects of CSU’s D.V.M. curriculum and is centered on common diseases, as well as communication, animal behavior, euthanasia practices, leadership skills, and team management.

In November 2024, Colorado voters approved Proposition 129, authorizing development of the state-regulated profession of veterinary professional associate and outlining the minimum education and qualifications required to become a VPA. The Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies must now work to define the scope of practice for VPAs. When the regulatory framework is developed, veterinarians may choose to hire VPAs into care teams, and the individuals will practice under the vets’ supervision.

Photo at top: John Eisele / CSU Photography.