Veterinarians and Veterinary Technicians have clearly defined duties that cover the scope of animal medical care. But with the introduction of the Veterinary Associate, it’s unclear how these duties may be affected. Essentially, Veterinary Associates will share duties of both Veterinarians and Veterinary Technicians, blurring the lines between each job. Previously, Veterinarians handled diagnosis and surgery, while Veterinary Technicians handled routine care and assisted with treatment and administration. Veterinary Associates will handle simple surgeries and some treatment and diagnosis.
What is a Veterinarian?
Veterinarians are the doctors of the animal world. They provide a standard of care for domestic pets and animals in general, while also providing the necessary services to meet this standard. For animals that are sick or injured, Veterinarians handle diagnosis, treatment, and surgery. Veterinarians may also provide routine care, such as check-ups and wellness exams.
Vet clinics, laboratories, universities, and zoos and aquariums are all common workplaces that require Veterinarians. Veterinarians typically have a narrow focus, such as small or large mammals, reptiles, exotics, and aquatics. There are also several specialties that Veterinarians can focus on, such as dentistry, ophthalmology, oncology, nutrition, pathology, and more.
Veterinarians are required to have a doctoral degree (typically a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine) and gain state licensure. Specialties or narrow focus areas may require additional education or certifications. For this reason, finding a trustworthy vet (or any specialized vet) can be difficult.
What is a Veterinary Technician?
If Veterinarians are the doctors of the animal world, then Veterinary Technicians are the nurses. Veterinary Technicians help reduce the medical workload and allow Veterinarians to focus on their primary care duties.
Veterinary Technicians handle tasks such as physical examinations, testing, treatment follow-up, and surgical preparation, assistance, and clean-up. They typically provide the bulk of routine care involved in check-ups and wellness exams. Examples include ear or nose exams, nail trimming, and anal gland expression. Veterinary Technicians also handle administrative responsibilities, such as appointments, payment and billing, record keeping, filing, and pet insurance claims.
Veterinary Technicians are usually required to have either an associate degree or a bachelor’s degree in a related field. They may also be required to take a credential exam, depending on state requirements. This could involve testing for registration, licensure, or certification. Veterinary Technicians are often students seeking to gain hands-on experience either before or during their graduate program.
What is a Veterinary Associate?
A Veterinary Associate, also known as a Veterinary Professional Associate or Mid-Level Practitioner, is a recent addition to the veterinary field. This position was created in Colorado as part of Proposition 129 and formally approved on the general election ballot on November 5, 2024. Because of the position’s recency, there are no practicing Veterinary Associates. However, the proposition and supporters did outline the Veterinary Associate’s intended educational requirements and purpose.
A Veterinary Associate is intended to have a master’s degree in clinical care and perform limited veterinary functions related to diagnosis, treatment, and surgery. All activities would be completed under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian, although the degree of supervision required remains unclear. There is currently no state or federal test for competency or licensure, although Colorado State University is developing a Master of Science in Veterinary Clinical Care to standardize degree requirements for this position.
Are All Three Vet Jobs Necessary?
Veterinarians and Vet Technicians have been established for decades and their roles have been repeatedly proven necessary. Veterinarians and Veterinary Technicians provide essential care for animals that would otherwise be inaccessible, leading to healthier pets that live longer, more fulfilling lives.
These positions also provide essential medical care for animals kept in zoos, aquariums, and research institutions. The services that Vets and Veterinary Technicians provide also help preserve public safety and health. Vaccinations against rabies and other deadly animal viruses is an essential component of this.
The necessity of Veterinary Associates has yet to be proven, as the newest position among the three with no professionals yet working in the field. Whereas Veterinary Technicians can assist with surgeries, they are not qualified to perform surgeries. Veterinary Associates will be allowed to perform routine surgeries, such as abdominal spay and neuter procedures.
Other responsibilities for this position are yet to be defined. During a legislative working session, a draft curriculum for a Veterinary Associate allegedly showed significant overlap between the position’s responsibilities and those of a Veterinary Technician.
Proponents of this position claim that Veterinary Associates will bridge a gap between Veterinarians and Veterinary Technicians, in addition to helping relieve a national shortage of available veterinary care. Proponents include the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), Animal Welfare Association of Colorado, and the Dumb Friends League (DFL).
Detractors of this position claim that Veterinary Associates would receive inadequate training and education, especially since most of the education would focus on online courses with minimal hands-on practice. Additional concerns surrounded the lack of education program accreditation, lack of competency testing for graduates, and lack of licensing for practicing professionals.
There were more than 200 national and local opponents to Proposition 129 and the role of Veterinary Associates. Additionally, a recent survey in Colorado showed that over 90% of state veterinarians were opposed to the position. Organizational opponents included the Colorado Veterinary Medical Association, Association of Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), American Animal Hospital Association, American Kennel Club, and American Board of Veterinary Practitioners.
