Coloradans vote yes to midlevel practitioner proposal
Despite more than 200 veterinary industry organizations, professional associations, and veterinary professionals publicly opposing it, the veterinary professional associate position will be implemented in the next few years following a public vote
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Colorado voters approved of the veterinary professional associate (VPA), a new midlevel practitioner (MLP) position. Proposition 129, formerly known as Proposed Initiative 145, received 52.2% yes votes, with 78% of the votes tallied as of November 7, 2024. All Pets Deserve Vet Care was behind Proposition 129 and was supported by the Dumb Friends League (DFL), the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), Animal Welfare Association of Colorado, the Humane Society of the United States, and others.
Once available, VPA’s will be master’s level trained and would be allowed to diagnose, create treatment plans, and perform surgery on patients. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the Colorado Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) both came out against the proposition, stating the VPA would have inadequate training for doing complex tasks that should only be performed by a veterinarian.1 Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences is working on creating a degree program for this Master’s of Veterinary Clinical Care.
However, the program will be taught mostly online, with those against the initiative saying it would not give students sufficient laboratory and clinical exposure, putting the health and safety of pets and other animals at risk. At this time, there is no accreditation of the educational program, comprehensive test to determine the competence of program graduates, or licensing of those who would fill this role, according to the AVMA.
Multiple surveys have been conducted to determine whether or not this new position within the veterinary industry is needed. The American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB) aimed to better understand whether a hypothetical midlevel role, called advanced animal healthcare provider in the survey, was not only necessary, but wanted by veterinary professionals.
They received almost 14,000 responses from veterinarian and veterinary technicians. The results concluded that veterinary professionals in more than 60 United States and Canadian jurisdictions decided against the position stating concerns about its implementation and utilizing technicians better.2
"Our extensive survey revealed that while there is some interest in exploring the concept of a midlevel veterinary practitioner, there are significant concerns regarding implementation, such as training adequacy, regulatory impacts, and timing, especially considering that credentialed veterinary technicians are not being utilized fully at this time," stated Kim Gemeinhardt, DVM, president of the AAVSB, in an organizational release.2
"Our commitment remains to public protection and ensuring accessible, quality veterinary care. The survey data demonstrates that veterinary technicians can and should be utilized more extensively to address gaps in veterinary care, before a midlevel veterinary practitioner can be considered."
Want to learn more about the pros and cons of Proposition 129? Read more here.
Due to their protest of the initiative, the AVMA and CVMA worked together to inform the veterinary industry and public what the impacts of voting yes to this initiative means through the Keep Our Pets Safe campaign. The campaign provided veterinarians resources to better inform clients, create social media and advertising messages sharing the dangers the proposed initiative could have, and carried out outreach to media outlets across Colorado.1
“We are disappointed with the outcome of Proposition 129 on the ballot in Colorado; however, rest assured that now, more than ever, we will continue our work to ensure that the health and safety of Colorado’s animals are protected,” said Sandra Faeh, DVM, AVMA president. “This includes pursuing all options to ensure that pets and other animals receive high-quality care led and delivered by comprehensively educated, proficient, and licensed veterinarians. We look forward to working collaboratively with stakeholders in pursuit of a regulatory framework that will protect Colorado’s animals, their owners, our food supply, and public health.”
Read more about the AVMA's stance and work against Proposition 129 in their recently published article on dvm360.com.
More than 200 national and local veterinary industry organizations and clinics as well as individual veterinarians, technicians, and clients opposed Proposition 129, including the American Animal Hospital Association, Student AVMA, American Board of veterinary practitioners, American Veterinary Dental College, and American Kennel Club.
References
- Midlevel practitioner proposal secures enough votes in Colorado. News release. American Veterinary Medical Association. November 7, 2024. Accessed November 13, 2024. https://www.avma.org/news/midlevel-practitioner-proposal-secures-enough-votes-colorado#:~:text=Colorado%20voters%20have%20approved%20a,ballot%20measure%20called%20Proposition%20129.
- AAVSB Releases Conclusions of the North American Veterinary Team Delegation Survey. News release. June 26, 2024. Accessed November 13, 2024. https://www.aavsb.org/news/article/178
