Addressing Colorado’s Veterinary Shortage with Fast-Paced Instruction and Hands-On Learning

(content provided by Pima Medical)

For Colorado residents, their animals are more than just pets. They are four-legged family members, loyal companions and an important part of their lives. Keeping them healthy and well cared for is a responsibility pet parents take seriously, but getting the services they need is becoming increasingly challenging as veterinary shortages continue across the state.

In Colorado, there is a significant workforce shortage affecting veterinary clinics, animal shelters, hospitals and, most importantly, the animals that depend on them.

A recent study from Colorado State University shares that out of 700 veterinary professionals in Colorado, 71% reported having to turn away clients weekly because their clinics are understaffed or unable to address the animals’ needs.

In addition, job boards in the state show more than 900 veterinary care positions actively open.

This is a concerning gap that must be closed to ensure pets receive quality care and clinics don’t need to divert patients and to ensure the current veterinary staff does not burn out from increased workload. 

Expanding Pathways to Veterinary Careers Across Colorado

Accessible veterinary education is the first step in closing the workforce shortage. By providing individuals interested in animal health careers with the hands-on education necessary to enter the field and connecting them with the communities that urgently need their skills, training programs can help bridge the gap between demand for veterinary care and the workforce available to provide it.

Pima Medical Institute is one organization offering a veterinary assistant program that can be completed in just nine months, and a veterinary technician associate degree which takes approximately 18 months to complete. Both programs are offered at the Colorado Springs and Aurora campuses, and the Denver campus offers the veterinary assistant program.

In these programs, students learn animal anatomy, medical terminology, diagnostic imaging, lab testing, examination techniques, surgical assisting, dental procedures and how to care for all animals.

Veterinary education is particularly powerful when learning extends beyond the classroom, beyond simulated labs and into real, hands-on animal care.

At Pima Medical Institute, students have the opportunity to work with live animals in class under the guidance of experienced instructors and veterinary professionals. During these lessons, students gain exposure to real-world care and learn how to communicate, solve problems, and work as part of a veterinary team.

As students graduate and enter the workforce, this hands-on experience is invaluable – it goes beyond technical knowledge, building their confidence in caring for animals who have different medical needs, backgrounds and temperaments.

For those who already hold a veterinary assistant certificate with equivalent coursework, or who have at least three years of full-time work experience in the field within the past five years, Pima Medical Institute also offers alternative program pathways. Eligible applicants may qualify to challenge certain first-year courses through examination, subject to the college’s admissions and course-transfer requirements.

Community Partnerships Support Animals and Build Student Confidence

By partnering with local animal shelters and rescue organizations to provide care for their animals at no charge, Pima Medical Institute is giving students hands-on experience and advanced practice to develop and refine their clinical skills.

Local animal shelters often house hundreds of animals at once, placing significant strain on their space and resources. Veterinary workforce shortages can make securing essential medical care even more difficult. Partnerships with training programs help shelters access that care at no cost while giving students valuable hands-on experience.

Through these partnerships, students gain meaningful clinical experience that prepares them for their careers, while shelters receive additional support and timely veterinary care. Veterinary practices benefit from a stronger pipeline of talent, and animals receive care that helps bring them closer to adoption.

While these efforts are a strong step in closing the labor shortage, there is no single solution to solving the veterinary workforce challenge.

Addressing the veterinary workforce shortage requires continued investment in training programs and community partnerships that prepare students for lasting careers. Still, with every student trained, every community partnership formed and every new veterinary professional entering the workforce, Colorado moves closer to a future where animals receive the care they need when they need it most.

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