Colorado has a new proposition on the ballot this fall: Proposition 129 calls for the creation of a veterinary mid-level practitioner, or Veterinary Professional Associate if you will. 

Join Hannah Mae, DVM (@dr.hannahmae) and Sydney Hayter, DVM MPH MS CVMMP (@pagingdrhayter), two mixed animal rural practitioners as they discuss the pros and cons of this new proposed position.

In this podcast they discuss what the proposition consists of according to the voter’s guide, then delve into discussing both the parties that support the proposition and the parties against it. 

Full of hot takes, this episode is not meant to offend supporting parties nor any associations mentioned. All of what is discussed is alleged, any information discussed is based on our best understanding of the information available to us.

There is a lot of information regarding this proposition and not all of it is discussed in this episode. For those curious, all supporting documents discussed within this episode as well as some bonus material is listed below. 

Article from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA): https://www.avma.org/news/colorado-ballot-measure-calls-nonveterinarians-diagnose-do-surgery

Article from AVMA’s Keep Our Pets Safe Initiative: https://keepourpetssafe.com/#faqs 

Colorado State University’s (CSU) 8 things to know article: https://vetmedbiosci.colostate.edu/vpa/

CSU’s PowerPoint with proposed curriculum & prerequisites: https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/committees/dr._wayne_jenson_-_plan_b_masters_program_csu_.pdf?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0YLgNDE_SCknhQkztsX3lSBclqTL3AE-8ooXiNJHU3hS3JqPhQQIWpKNI_aem_dpjn8ComIi6tFNtYRtrtzw

AVMA’s article on how this proposition came to be: https://www.avma.org/news/how-colorado-became-ground-zero-veterinary-midlevel-practitioner-debate

Veterinary Information Network article on a mid level position: https://news.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=210&catId=620&Id=12253862