Here’s a timeline highlighting key milestones in the development of the veterinary midlevel practitioner movement, focusing specifically on the veterinary professional associate (VPA) role.

Summer 2009
Early discussions about midlevel roles in veterinary medicine begin when Drs. Sherry Stewart and Lori Kogan publish an article in the Journal of Veterinary Medical Education exploring the concept of midlevel practitioners in the veterinary field.

December 2021
Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee announces the launch of its Master of Veterinary Clinical Care (MVCC) program, designed to provide advanced clinical training for credentialed veterinary technicians.

June 2022
Colorado State Rep. Karen McCormick, DVM, convenes a legislative working group to examine the potential implementation of a VPA role in veterinary medicine in the state. The group meets biweekly through the summer and fall.

February 2023
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signs into law a bill creating a veterinary technician specialist role with the authority to diagnose, develop treatment plans and establish, on a preliminary basis, a veterinarian-client-patient relationship in collaboration with a veterinarian. 

November 2023
The AVMA announces the results of a survey suggesting that most pet owners prefer veterinarian-led care and are opposed to delegating primary healthcare responsibilities to midlevel practitioners such as the proposed VPA role. National and state veterinary professional organizations continue to voice opposition to VPAs.

November 2024
Colorado voters approve Proposition 129, officially creating the VPA role in the state. The measure outlines educational and regulatory requirements for VPAs, including the necessity of a master’s degree in veterinary clinical care and registration with the Colorado State Board of Veterinary Medicine.

February 2025
Florida lawmakers introduce the Veterinary Workforce Innovation Act in the House and Senate, aiming to create a VPA role in the state that would exclude authority to prescribe medications and perform major surgeries. The joint bills fail to advance and are withdrawn in May.

April 2025
The Colorado General Assembly passes House Bill 1285, introduced by Dr. McCormick, providing statutory guidance for the state board of veterinary medicine to develop comprehensive rules for the VPA position created by Proposition 129.