Proposed 'Mid-Level' Veterinary Position Sparks Concern Over Animal Welfare
There is no one you trust more than your vet. But a controversial new movement could change things at your veterinarian's office forever.
The point was raised online by veterinarian Emily King, who explained that some people in her field want there to be a new position in the world of veterinarian medicine.
The move would change everything. King explained that topic was raised at a recent American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) House of Delegates Veterinary Information Forum in January.
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The proposal was to create a mid-level position between veterinarian technicians and veterinarians. "These topics have stirred recent debate as concerns have been raised about the potential risks these proposals may pose to animal health and welfare with uncertainty surrounding the scope of practice for mid-level positions."
According to the organization, these mid-level positions would help alleviate pressure put on the system to meet service demands.
"This issue has been compounded by continued inefficiencies in practices as pandemic disruptions persist and client expectations for availability and convenience," the organization's website explained. "Inflation has also increased costs for labor and for products such as medical equipment and medications, creating additional concern around clients’ ability to afford needed care."
"Additionally, retention of veterinary practice staff members and attrition from the profession are ongoing and increasing concerns," it stated.
Creating a mid-level position would be a lengthy and expensive process. There would need to be both educational and regulatory frameworks created to support these positions, and even still it might not change the issues that the industry faces.
People online had a lot of strong opinions about the topic, many of whom thought the move was a bad idea. "As a veterinarian I think we need to pay our Certified Veterinarian Technicians (CVT) more and focus on building up the role of CVTs," one person suggested in the comments section. "No. Technicians need to be paid appropriately FIRST. Fix the shortage. Fix the culture," someone else chimed in. "We as technicians need title protection first. Once we have that we definitely could make a mid-level roll achievable," a third commenter added.
Although some people thought a mid-level position might be helpful. "I’ve said that there needs to be a Physician's Assistant equivalent for years," wrote one woman. "Yes, Vet Techs take on too much care for their training and pay," someone else pointed out. "I've been a vet tech for 10 years and I'm ready for the next step up," another man shared.
Ultimately, the motion was shot down at the conference.
"The consensus from conversations during the HOD’s Veterinary Information Forum on the topic 'The veterinary healthcare team—Is there a need for a mid-level position?' was that a midlevel practitioner would not be a smart solution to workforce or access-to-care concerns," the website stated.
"Rather, time and effort should be spent on resources, tools, and programs designed to retain veterinarians and credentialed veterinary technicians," it added.
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