Medical Director of Companion Animal Primary Care Services

at  Colorado State University

DESCRIPTION OF WORK UNIT

Founded in 1870, Colorado State University is among the nation’s leading research universities and enrolls approximately 32,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. Located an hour north of the Denver metro area, Fort Collins is a vibrant community of approximately 157,000 residents that offers the convenience of a small town with all the amenities of a large city. Fort Collins is situated on the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains with views of 14,000 foot peaks, and offers access to numerous cultural, recreational, and outdoor opportunities.
Improving the health of animals, people, and the planet has been central to our land-grant mission since 1883, when the first veterinary classes began at Colorado Agricultural College. Today, that vision remains at the heart of the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, where we empower the next generation of leaders to change the world.
The Veterinary Health System transforms our service units into a comprehensive veterinary medical center governed by responsible management that supports our units’ individual missions. Capitalizing on Colorado State University’s top ranking in veterinary medicine, and building on our tradition of providing high-quality compassionate care and achieving outstanding clinical outcomes, the Veterinary Health System broadens our expertise and skill to deliver the highest levels of customer service, employee satisfaction, and advancements in medicine through clinical service, research, and innovation.
The mission of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital is to educate the next generation of veterinarians by providing exceptional veterinary care and service to the community every day. Our vision is to advance medicine by integrating world-class patient care with leadership in veterinary education and scientific discovery.

POSITION SUMMARY

The College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (CVMBS) at Colorado State University (CSU) is seeking a Medical Director (MD) of Companion Animal Primary Care Services. This position will be responsible for operations within the Primary Care Clinic (PCC), which is slated for completion in spring 2026, with full operational capacity starting summer 2028. The PCC is planned as a purpose built, state-of-the-art, regional companion animal primary care center designed to train veterinary students and provide a wide spectrum of veterinary care.
The PCC resides within the James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital (VTH). The PCC and Animal Specialty Hospital (ASH) are major pillars of the CSU Veterinary Health System (VHS) which includes medical, clinical, diagnostic, continuing education, and other health service operations within the CVMBS. The construction of the PCC is part of the larger ~350,000 sq ft addition/renovation to the CSU south campus called the Veterinary Health and Education Complex (VHEC) project. The VHEC will include the Livestock Veterinary Services Annex (LVS), Veterinary Education Complex (VEC), and PCC, and newly renovated ASH. These four areas will join the current suite of buildings on the CSU South Campus that include the Johnson Family Equine Hospital (JFEH), Diagnostic Medical Center (DMC), and Translational Medicine Institute (TMI). This juxtaposition of educational, research, and service facilities provides a unique opportunity to advance veterinary and allied professions. A result of this expansion will be inclusion of the first- and second-year DVM students in the VHEC starting in 2026, a move from the longstanding main university campus location. With this greater community presence, the master plan for the VHEC includes the development of indoor and outdoor spaces that intentionally support a sense of engagement and wellbeing.
The PCC will be the lynchpin of the progressive new DVM curriculum that is scheduled to launch in fall of 2026. The PCC will house third- and fourth-year students as they focus their education on delivery of primary veterinary services for companion animals, including dogs, cats, and other small mammals. The PCC team will include 8 faculty members and 13 veterinary technicians, plus paraprofessional support staff. The ~12,000 ft2 facility consists of three large treatment areas, dental and surgical suites, 14 examination rooms, and round rooms and work areas for doctors, veterinary technicians, and students.
The MD of Companion Animal Primary Care Services will lead and actively contribute to this exciting next phase of growth, with the opportunity to implement the vision and promote the premier reputation of the CSU-CVMBS as a top-tier establishment. The MD will develop relationships with external entities with the goal of better serving underserved individuals within the Northern Colorado community and broadening clinical service and experiential learning opportunities for DVM students. We are seeking a dynamic, innovative, service-oriented individual with excellent leadership skills to fill this role.
The CSU College of Veterinary Medicine is ranked 2nd in the nation by US News and World Report, and 2nd for federal research funding by Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research. Fort Collins is a beautiful, family-friendly, and entrepreneurial college town with a population of 160,000. Located on the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains 65 miles north of Denver and with over 300 days of sunshine, Fort Collins was ranked as a “best town ever” by Outside Magazine in 2017, as the 3rd healthiest midsize city by Gallup in 2014, and America’s most satisfied city by Time Magazine in 2014.
The MD of Companion Animal Primary Care Services will formally report to the Executive Director of Clinical Services to optimize operational efficiency, manage shared resources, and ensure fiscal sustainability of the PCC. The MD will work closely with the Director of Clinical Education, who oversees the DVM clinical teaching component of primary care and specialty services. Depending on expertise and interests, the MD may have a joint faculty appointment in the Department of Clinical Sciences, in support of didactic or laboratory teaching, scholarly activity, and/or service. It is preferred that the successful candidate be eligible for a joint faculty appointment at an Associate or full Professor rank. Reporting structure and any associated responsibilities for a joint faculty appointment would be outlined in a separate MOU. The successful candidate will serve alongside MDs in Equine, Livestock, Small Animal Specialties, and Shared Clinical Services (e.g. Anesthesia, Imaging).
A combination of signing bonus and relocation expenses may be considered for successful candidates.

REQUIRED JOB QUALIFICATIONS

• A DVM or equivalent veterinary degree
• Demonstrated leadership within a primary care enterprise (minimum 5 years)
• Demonstrated passion for, commitment to, and success in the education of veterinary students and support of their autonomy as future veterinarians.
• Demonstrated commitment to compassionate, relationship-centered care of animals and their caregivers.
• Strong leadership abilities including negotiation, team and consensus building, crisis- management, and complex problem-solving.
• Organizational management knowledge with personal examples of application
• Demonstrated positive and productive verbal and written communication skills.
• Commitment to developing an inclusive hospital environment and experience working with individuals from diverse backgrounds.

PREFERRED JOB QUALIFICATIONS

• Associate or Full Professor (or eligibility in order to hold a joint faculty appointment)
• Advanced training and/or board certification with ABVP or ACVPM
• Demonstrated business acumen and proficiency in practice management.
• Experience in philanthropy and/or donor relations
• Effectiveness in partnering with community leaders in providing veterinary services to underserved individuals.
• Engagement with the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges Primary Care Veterinary Educators (PCVE) program.

• PCC Operations
• Operationalize the PCC , building upon and enhancing the established Community Practice Service.
• Oversee the establishment, implementation, and monitoring of clinical guidelines, standard operating procedures/practice protocols, in-house referrals, interventions, and advancements.
• Build appropriate frameworks of accountability and decision-making that will facilitate the mission of the Primary Care Service.
• Establish and facilitate internal collaborations, particularly with services within the ASH.
• Build and maintain a productive and safe working environment.
• Lead by example in development of interpersonal and values-related behaviors required to build and maintain a positive culture in the PCC, as well as coach and mentor others regarding these behavioral goals.
• Internal Relations
• Advocate for clinical educator and technician needs within the PCC and be a voice for staff when challenges arise.
• Work closely with academic department chairs and unit directors, administrative staff, CVMBS development officers, faculty and staff committees, and veterinary advisory groups to create an environment supportive of the high-quality professional goals and services supported by the VHS.
• Engage in PCC business development and engage with university advancement for philanthropic support.
• Work closely with the business officers and Executive Director of Clinical Services to ensure the financial success of the PCC.
• External Relations
• Develop and sustain external companion animal primary care experiences.
• Engage in community outreach to expand and develop services for underserved populations.
• Build relationships and liaise with regional veterinary clinics and other primary care enterprises to establish, expand, and evaluate external training opportunities.
• Represent companion animal primary care services via participation in external and internal committees and working groups.
• Departmental and Educational Support
• Provide input into clinical educator evaluations and provide guidance, development, and support for direct reports and associated PCC clinical educators and staff.
• Partner with the Executive Director of Clinical Services and the Director of Clinical Education to determine faculty effort required within the PCC, assess the performance of clinical teaching faculty within the PCC, and support faculty recruitment and retention efforts.
• Liaise with the Curriculum Renewal Committee and the Director of Clinical Education to expand and operationalize the primary care curriculum