Luke Bass

Colorado State University
AAEP Member Since: 7/11/2007

Committee Assignments

  • Wet-Lab Initiative Task Force: From 02/01/2024 to present
  • Scientific Review & Editorial Committee: From 12/03/2023 to 12/04/2025
  • Educational Programs Committee Vice Chair and Chair:

From 12/03/2023 to 12/04/2026

  • Nominating Committee: From 11/23/2022 to 12/15/2024
  • Educational Programs Committee At Large Member:

From 12/10/2020 to 12/03/2023

  • Scientific Review & Editorial Committee: From 12/09/2021 to 12/03/2023
  • Scientific Review & Editorial Committee: From 12/12/2019 to 12/09/2021
  • Student Programs Task Force_2019: From 04/12/2019 to 12/31/2021
  • Educational Programs Committee: From 12/06/2018 to 12/09/2021
  • Board of Directors: From 12/06/2018 to 12/09/2021
  • Educational Programs Committee: From 12/11/2014 to 11/22/2017
  • Avenues Program Review Task Force: From 12/01/2012 to 12/11/2014
  • Student Programs Task Force: From 12/01/2012 to 11/30/2014
  • Membership Development Committee: From 01/01/2011 to 12/06/2012
  • Leadership Development Workshop: From 04/29/2011 to 05/01/2011
  • Student Relations Committee: From 01/01/2010 to 12/31/2010
  • Student Relations Committee: From 01/01/2009 to 12/31/2009

 

Demographic Information

  • Private Practice Internship
  • Masters
  • Board Certified (DABVP, Equine)
  • Certified in Medical Acupuncture for Veterinarians
  • 100% of current clinical work is equine-related

Faculty Roles

  • Non-tenure track faculty member
  • Contract employee at South Valley Equine – Equine Emergency
  • Equine Field Service and Equine Podiatry

Involvement with Veterinary Student Education

  • Classroom lecture
  • Laboratory instructor
  • Clinical instructor
  • Mentoring of interns and residents
  • Mentoring of new graduates

Continuing Education Instruction

  • Traditional classroom lecture
  • Online course
  • Dry laboratory or case-based discussions
  • Wet laboratory (skill-based)
  • Program Chair for CE meetings – Foundational Skills in Equine Practice (2022), Focus on Field Medicine (2024), and Resort Symposium (2026)

What do you see as the most pressing challenges currently facing equine veterinary medicine and how should AAEP evolve to meet that over the next several years?

The current state of veterinary medicine lies in a precarious position, especially so in the equine veterinary sector. We are suffering from an unprecedented staff shortage, the lowest retention rates of new graduates ever witnessed, and an increasing demand for equine medical services. We are feeling the strain of long work hours, poor work-life balance, and financial strain. More and more equine practitioners are reporting burnout, with many more identifying mental health challenges for which they are poorly equipped or trained to navigate. To compound these issues, equine practices often lag in adopting modern technologies and efficiencies and evolving regulatory and ethical demands—such as drug use and welfare concerns.

The current demands for the equine industry require a strategic evolution of the AAEP. Our focus should be to build a sustainable workforce through directed partnerships with veterinary schools, and private and corporate clinics alike. Further enhancement of new graduate mentorship and financial incentives will increase retention rates among young practitioners. We need to build into our culture flexible, creative and collaborative practice models designed towards better quality of work-life balance. There is a tremendous opportunity for the AAEP to put the mental health of our members at the forefront of its mission, with educational programs focused on business, technology and practice innovation.

It is the duty of AAEP to facilitate the re-education of clients, to better align their understanding of the value equine practitioners provide to their and their horses’ success. We can do better to advocate for our members by showing owners/clients the benefit of bringing patients to their doctors, which allows veterinarians to practice better medicine and help more clients, while preventing practitioner exhaustion.

Further, as an industry authority, the AAEP must take more ownership of ethical and regulatory issues with more transparency and science-based guidance. Our association and members only benefit with bold leadership, which further promotes member-driven support and passion. It is with this leadership that the AAEP is able to direct equine veterinary medicine into a sustainable and relevant future.

How have you demonstrated a commitment to the advancement of the profession?

Working in a referral equine private practice during the first five years of my career taught me the essential survival skills needed to thrive as an equine veterinarian. Transitioning to a field service department in an academic setting gave me the opportunity to mentor students and young veterinarians, allowing me to better understand their needs and how best to support their development. My career has centered around helping the next generation succeed—faster and more confidently than I did. I believe in equipping students and new graduates with practical skills early and often, which is key to both recruiting and retaining them in the profession. Of the 16 interns and residents that have come through our program, all 16 are still in equine practice.

I strive to show students they are enough—that they already have the foundation to be successful in equine veterinary medicine. This belief has guided my efforts in expanding educational opportunities through my volunteer roles with AAEP. I’ve had the privilege of leading or helping launch initiatives such as Student and Member Convention Dry Labs, the AAEP Foundational Skills CE meeting, Convention Burst Sessions, AAEP XP (Experiential Learning), How-to Go-Do sessions, and the upcoming AAEP Journal Club (Fall 2025). We continue to evolve and expand our educational offerings to meet the dynamic needs of our members and the profession.

What unique perspective or skill set do you bring to the VP role that will benefit the AAEP membership?

Over the past two decades I have served in nearly every corner of equine practice—intern and associate at a referral hospital, solo ambulatory practitioner, academic field-service clinician, and part-time emergency doctor back in the referral setting. Each role has delivered triumphs and hard lessons: cases that did not go as planned, sleepless nights wrestling with educational debt, and doubts about whether I was “good enough” to be a horse doctor. These experiences remind me daily how challenging—and essential—our work is.

My evolution as a veterinarian and human has come over the past several years. The expansion of my communication skills within our CSU Veterinary Communications program has given me the importance of listening, asking questions and considering ideas that I would have previously dismissed. I am not coming into this position with all the answers; I come with a willingness to learn what the problems really are and empower others to team up and solve them. I want to be a part of the continued equine veterinary culture change to create a sustainable and healthy equine veterinary community.

How will you help maintain member engagement and relevance in a changing veterinary landscape?

I would focus on being proactive, inclusive, and responsive to evolving member needs. Engagement begins with listening through surveys, direct outreach, and town halls—to ensure AAEP remains aligned with what matters most to equine practitioners, whether that’s mental health support, business tools, or regulatory advocacy. Diversifying engagement opportunities is key. Members are at different stages of their careers and face unique challenges based on location and practice type. I value expanding hands-on small group CE opportunities in the US and abroad, peer mentorship, and importance of networking to provide community to ensure all members can find value in their membership—on their terms. The challenge of these opportunities is how we use these unique learning opportunities to provide connection for the greater AAEP membership.

Supporting practice sustainability is also mandatory for our future success. AAEP has just completed a Sustainability Initiative providing resources on collaborative on-call ideas, internship models, and practice culture. Not only offering but incorporating these resources into areas of CE will help members thrive in today’s demanding environment. At the same time, wellbeing must be a strategic priority. Inserting mental health resources and normalizing conversations around burnout can help build a more resilient, connected membership base.

Finally, AAEP must lead on emerging issues—like telemedicine, AI, equine welfare, and workforce shortages—to remain a forward-looking, trusted voice. By listening actively, innovating strategically, and supporting members both personally and professionally, we can ensure AAEP remains relevant, valued, and future ready.