Veterinary Profession Opposes Mid-Level Role Amid Workforce Crisis

Veterinary professionals are at the forefront of addressing the workforce crisis in the industry. However, a recent development in the form of a mid-level role has sparked controversy among some in the profession. The veterinary professional associate (VPA) role was introduced in Colorado through Proposition 129 in 2024 and codified by House Bill 25-1285 in 2026. This new mid-level credential allows individuals to practice veterinary medicine under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian after completing a master's degree in veterinary clinical care. However, this move has been met with opposition from Mission Pet Health, one of the nation's largest veterinary groups. They argue that adding a new role to the mix will only create unnecessary complexity and competition within the profession. ## Workforce Challenges and Solutions The workforce challenges within the veterinary profession are real, and access to veterinary care is a pressing issue. However, Mission Pet Health believes that trying to tackle these problems by adding a new role is not the solution. Instead, they propose that the profession should focus on utilizing the team members it already has more effectively. Credentialed veterinary technicians (CrVTs) are already licensed and trained, but in many practices, they are working below their capacity. Building a new tier around them, rather than expanding what CrVTs are permitted and incentivized to do, only creates unnecessary competition between roles with different levels of education and accountability. ## Addressing Attrition and Access to Care Proposition 129 assumes that VPA graduates will increase access to care by filling gaps in rural and low-income areas where veterinary care is scarce. However, this argument deserves scrutiny, as there is no clear evidence that VPA graduates will choose to work in these areas. Moreover, the underlying workforce data are shifting under the policy's feet. Projections indicate that there will likely be sufficient DVM graduates to meet demand by 2035, following the post-COVID-19 expansion of veterinary school seats. Clinical volumes and new-client visits are already trending down industry-wide as practices adopt tools that improve efficiency and reduce burnout. ## Supervision Liability and Competition There is also a supervision liability specific to this model that clinicians need to weigh carefully. Routine work is only routine until it is not. VPAs operate under veterinary supervision, but when something goes wrong, it's the supervising veterinarian's license on the line, not the VPA's. This is a lot of risk to assume for decisions made by an individual with a fraction of the training. ## Industry-Wide Opposition Mission Pet Health is not alone in its opposition to the VPA role. The American Veterinary Medical Association, all 50 state veterinary medical associations, the Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico VMAs, the American Animal Hospital Association, and the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America have each come out against the mid-level practitioner model. This near-unanimous signal from a profession where opinions can be diverse highlights the concerns surrounding the VPA role. Instead of adding complexity and competition from roles without the same level of training and accountability, the profession should focus on supporting the CrVTs who are already integrated yet underutilized within the veterinary industry. ## A Path Forward At Mission Pet Health, they are advocating for title protection, expanded scope of practice for CrVTs, and real investment in veterinary technician specialist pathways. This path better aligns with the data and offers meaningful career advancement for colleagues. The profession doesn't need a new role competing for the same work. It needs the practitioners already in the building to operate at the top of their licenses. By supporting and utilizing the existing clinical team more effectively, the veterinary profession can address the workforce crisis and access to care issues in a more meaningful way.