As Dr. Robertson mentioned in her message, NMVMA is in an important new season. That work starts with listening. Through the 2025 Practice Census and CE Needs Survey and our statewide Listening Tour, we heard from 106 survey respondents and completed 51 stakeholder conversations. The message came through clearly. New Mexico’s veterinary community wants practical support, stronger advocacy, easier access to continuing education, and more ways to stay connected and engaged.
What We Heard
Workforce pressure is real.
NMVMA’s community spans small-animal, mixed-animal, large-animal, and equine practices, with 65% of respondents identifying as small-animal, 18% as mixed-animal, 10% as large-animal, and 9% as equine. At the same time, most practices reported operating with only 1 to 2 veterinarians, and nearly half reported having no RVTs on staff. That tells us the workforce pipeline and team structure need real attention.
Members want CE that fits real life.
The top CE interest was clinical skills and diagnostics at 87%, followed by large and mixed animal topics at 35%, communication and team development at 32%, and public health and regulatory updates at 31.1%. Members also told us what gets in the way. The top barriers to in-person CE were cost at 58%, travel distance at 52%, and time away from clinic at 50%. When asked about format, 33.3% preferred short 1 to 2-hour webinars, while 26.7% preferred a one-day in-person option.
Survey question: What are the top two (2) barriers for you to attend in-person CE?
Figure 1. NM Barriers to in-person CE participation
Survey question: Please select up to three (3) CE topics that interest you most.
Figure 2. NM CE Topics of Interest
Advocacy matters, and members want a stronger voice.
The top advocacy priorities were workforce shortages and distribution concerns at 53.8%, technician recruitment and retention at 51%, license portability at 38.5%, and scope-of-practice guardrails at 35.6%. On the PAC, the biggest group did not say no. They said they wanted to learn more. 61.5% of respondents said they want more information before deciding whether to support it, while 23.1% said they plan to support it. That tells us education, clarity, and trust have to lead.
Survey question: Which of the following advocacy issues should NMVMA prioritize over the next 3-5 years? (Select up to three)
Figure 3. Key advocacy issues for NMVMA
The pipeline already exists. We need to build on it.
Many practices already support the next generation. 48% offer mentorship or shadowing, 37% host DVM student rotations, and 33% offer externships or internships. We also heard that members want a stronger community, mentorship, timely updates, and leadership development. That feedback directly supports NMVMA’s focus on volunteer engagement, Power of 10, mentorship, and stronger member pathways.
| Table 1. Career-development Opportunity in NM Vet Practices | ||
| Opportunity Offered | Number of Practices | Percentage of Respondents |
| None / Not Currently | 31 | 29% |
| Mentorship/Shadowing | 50 | 48% |
| DVM Student Rotations | 39 | 37% |
| Externships/Internships | 35 | 33% |
| Community Programming | 17 | 16% |
Members told us how they want to hear from us.
For timely animal health updates, members preferred direct NMVMA email at 66.3%, the NM Vet List at 49%, and text alerts at 33.7%. That is why NMVMA is focusing on clearer, faster, more direct communication.
Survey question: When it comes to receiving timely updates about diseases or animal health conditions, which communication channels do you find most useful? (Select all that apply.)
Figure 4. Communication channels for disease and animal health conditions
Why This Matters
This is the “why” behind NMVMA’s current engagement strategy. Members told us they need support that is practical, accessible, and relevant. That is why NMVMA is focusing on flexible volunteer roles, stronger leadership pathways, more useful CE, clearer communications, stronger advocacy, and a more visible public voice. The research also reinforced that these priorities align directly with NMVMA’s broader strategic direction across membership, workforce development, CE, advocacy, and public awareness.
What Comes Next
In plain terms, the data helped us move from ideas to action. We are building a more responsive association because our members told us exactly where the pressure points are. You will see that throughline throughout this newsletter, from leadership and governance to volunteer engagement, to advocacy, CE, and public awareness.
Prize Reminder
Thank you again to everyone who participated in the survey and the listening tour. Prize winners will be contacted this week. We will award three gift cards and complimentary 2026 SWVS registrations for one DVM and one veterinary technician.