diff --git a/server/course/courseParticipation/main.go b/server/course/courseParticipation/main.go
index 01b9dfb..8538ba2 100644
--- a/server/course/courseParticipation/main.go
+++ b/server/course/courseParticipation/main.go
@@ -2,11 +2,11 @@ package courseParticipation
 
 import (
 	"github.com/gin-gonic/gin"
-	"github.com/jackc/pgx/v5"
+	"github.com/jackc/pgx/v5/pgxpool"
 	db "github.com/niclasheun/prompt2.0/db/sqlc"
 )
 
-func InitCourseParticipationModule(routerGroup *gin.RouterGroup, queries db.Queries, conn *pgx.Conn) {
+func InitCourseParticipationModule(routerGroup *gin.RouterGroup, queries db.Queries, conn *pgxpool.Pool) {
 	setupCourseParticipationRouter(routerGroup)
 	CourseParticipationServiceSingleton = &CourseParticipationService{
 		queries: queries,
diff --git a/server/course/courseParticipation/service.go b/server/course/courseParticipation/service.go
index 8512ef1..42b3899 100644
--- a/server/course/courseParticipation/service.go
+++ b/server/course/courseParticipation/service.go
@@ -4,14 +4,14 @@ import (
 	"context"
 
 	"github.com/google/uuid"
-	"github.com/jackc/pgx/v5"
+	"github.com/jackc/pgx/v5/pgxpool"
 	"github.com/niclasheun/prompt2.0/course/courseParticipation/courseParticipationDTO"
 	db "github.com/niclasheun/prompt2.0/db/sqlc"
 )
 
 type CourseParticipationService struct {
 	queries db.Queries
-	conn    *pgx.Conn
+	conn    *pgxpool.Pool
 }
 
 var CourseParticipationServiceSingleton *CourseParticipationService
diff --git a/server/course/main.go b/server/course/main.go
index e9c9fb8..ff78158 100644
--- a/server/course/main.go
+++ b/server/course/main.go
@@ -2,13 +2,13 @@ package course
 
 import (
 	"github.com/gin-gonic/gin"
-	"github.com/jackc/pgx/v5"
+	"github.com/jackc/pgx/v5/pgxpool"
 	db "github.com/niclasheun/prompt2.0/db/sqlc"
 	"github.com/niclasheun/prompt2.0/keycloak"
 	"github.com/niclasheun/prompt2.0/permissionValidation"
 )
 
-func InitCourseModule(routerGroup *gin.RouterGroup, queries db.Queries, conn *pgx.Conn) {
+func InitCourseModule(routerGroup *gin.RouterGroup, queries db.Queries, conn *pgxpool.Pool) {
 
 	setupCourseRouter(routerGroup, keycloak.KeycloakMiddleware, permissionValidation.CheckAccessControlByRole, checkAccessControlByIDWrapper)
 	CourseServiceSingleton = &CourseService{
diff --git a/server/course/service.go b/server/course/service.go
index ebc5bff..7175236 100644
--- a/server/course/service.go
+++ b/server/course/service.go
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 
 	"github.com/google/uuid"
-	"github.com/jackc/pgx/v5"
+	"github.com/jackc/pgx/v5/pgxpool"
 	"github.com/niclasheun/prompt2.0/course/courseDTO"
 	"github.com/niclasheun/prompt2.0/coursePhase/coursePhaseDTO"
 	db "github.com/niclasheun/prompt2.0/db/sqlc"
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ import (
 
 type CourseService struct {
 	queries db.Queries
-	conn    *pgx.Conn
+	conn    *pgxpool.Pool
 	// use dependency injection for keycloak to allow mocking
 	createCourseGroupsAndRoles func(ctx context.Context, courseName, iterationName string) error
 	addUserToGroup             func(ctx context.Context, userID, groupName string) error
diff --git a/server/coursePhase/coursePhaseParticipation/main.go b/server/coursePhase/coursePhaseParticipation/main.go
index cb2fb53..a90a3a6 100644
--- a/server/coursePhase/coursePhaseParticipation/main.go
+++ b/server/coursePhase/coursePhaseParticipation/main.go
@@ -2,11 +2,11 @@ package coursePhaseParticipation
 
 import (
 	"github.com/gin-gonic/gin"
-	"github.com/jackc/pgx/v5"
+	"github.com/jackc/pgx/v5/pgxpool"
 	db "github.com/niclasheun/prompt2.0/db/sqlc"
 )
 
-func InitCoursePhaseParticipationModule(routerGroup *gin.RouterGroup, queries db.Queries, conn *pgx.Conn) {
+func InitCoursePhaseParticipationModule(routerGroup *gin.RouterGroup, queries db.Queries, conn *pgxpool.Pool) {
 	setupCoursePhaseParticipationRouter(routerGroup)
 	CoursePhaseParticipationServiceSingleton = &CoursePhaseParticipationService{
 		queries: queries,
diff --git a/server/coursePhase/coursePhaseParticipation/service.go b/server/coursePhase/coursePhaseParticipation/service.go
index f9cb0f5..c8b6564 100644
--- a/server/coursePhase/coursePhaseParticipation/service.go
+++ b/server/coursePhase/coursePhaseParticipation/service.go
@@ -4,14 +4,14 @@ import (
 	"context"
 
 	"github.com/google/uuid"
-	"github.com/jackc/pgx/v5"
+	"github.com/jackc/pgx/v5/pgxpool"
 	"github.com/niclasheun/prompt2.0/coursePhase/coursePhaseParticipation/coursePhaseParticipationDTO"
 	db "github.com/niclasheun/prompt2.0/db/sqlc"
 )
 
 type CoursePhaseParticipationService struct {
 	queries db.Queries
-	conn    *pgx.Conn
+	conn    *pgxpool.Pool
 }
 
 var CoursePhaseParticipationServiceSingleton *CoursePhaseParticipationService
diff --git a/server/coursePhase/main.go b/server/coursePhase/main.go
index 3a60a75..9d9ccda 100644
--- a/server/coursePhase/main.go
+++ b/server/coursePhase/main.go
@@ -2,11 +2,11 @@ package coursePhase
 
 import (
 	"github.com/gin-gonic/gin"
-	"github.com/jackc/pgx/v5"
+	"github.com/jackc/pgx/v5/pgxpool"
 	db "github.com/niclasheun/prompt2.0/db/sqlc"
 )
 
-func InitCoursePhaseModule(routerGroup *gin.RouterGroup, queries db.Queries, conn *pgx.Conn) {
+func InitCoursePhaseModule(routerGroup *gin.RouterGroup, queries db.Queries, conn *pgxpool.Pool) {
 
 	setupCoursePhaseRouter(routerGroup)
 	CoursePhaseServiceSingleton = &CoursePhaseService{
diff --git a/server/coursePhase/service.go b/server/coursePhase/service.go
index 707ae2a..bac5234 100644
--- a/server/coursePhase/service.go
+++ b/server/coursePhase/service.go
@@ -4,14 +4,14 @@ import (
 	"context"
 
 	"github.com/google/uuid"
-	"github.com/jackc/pgx/v5"
+	"github.com/jackc/pgx/v5/pgxpool"
 	"github.com/niclasheun/prompt2.0/coursePhase/coursePhaseDTO"
 	db "github.com/niclasheun/prompt2.0/db/sqlc"
 )
 
 type CoursePhaseService struct {
 	queries db.Queries
-	conn    *pgx.Conn
+	conn    *pgxpool.Pool
 }
 
 var CoursePhaseServiceSingleton *CoursePhaseService
diff --git a/server/go.mod b/server/go.mod
index 521ced1..142a43a 100644
--- a/server/go.mod
+++ b/server/go.mod
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/golang-jwt/jwt/v5 v5.2.1 // indirect
 	github.com/jackc/pgpassfile v1.0.0 // indirect
 	github.com/jackc/pgservicefile v0.0.0-20240606120523-5a60cdf6a761 // indirect
+	github.com/jackc/puddle/v2 v2.2.2 // indirect
 	github.com/json-iterator/go v1.1.12 // indirect
 	github.com/klauspost/compress v1.17.4 // indirect
 	github.com/klauspost/cpuid/v2 v2.2.7 // indirect
@@ -87,6 +88,7 @@ require (
 	golang.org/x/crypto v0.27.0 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/net v0.27.0 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/oauth2 v0.21.0 // indirect
+	golang.org/x/sync v0.8.0 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/sys v0.25.0 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/text v0.18.0 // indirect
 	google.golang.org/protobuf v1.34.1 // indirect
diff --git a/server/main.go b/server/main.go
index f9a8aed..d1d040b 100644
--- a/server/main.go
+++ b/server/main.go
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"os/exec"
 
 	"github.com/gin-gonic/gin"
-	"github.com/jackc/pgx/v5"
+	"github.com/jackc/pgx/v5/pgxpool"
 	"github.com/niclasheun/prompt2.0/course"
 	"github.com/niclasheun/prompt2.0/course/courseParticipation"
 	"github.com/niclasheun/prompt2.0/coursePhase"
@@ -62,12 +62,12 @@ func main() {
 	runMigrations(databaseURL)
 
 	// establish db connection
-	conn, err := pgx.Connect(context.Background(), databaseURL)
+	conn, err := pgxpool.New(context.Background(), databaseURL)
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Fatalf("Unable to connect to database: %v\n", err)
+		log.Fatalf("Unable to create connection pool: %v\n", err)
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
-	defer conn.Close(context.Background())
+	defer conn.Close()
 
 	query := db.New(conn)
 
diff --git a/server/permissionValidation/main.go b/server/permissionValidation/main.go
index 2645b19..f005107 100644
--- a/server/permissionValidation/main.go
+++ b/server/permissionValidation/main.go
@@ -1,18 +1,18 @@
 package permissionValidation
 
 import (
-	"github.com/jackc/pgx/v5"
+	"github.com/jackc/pgx/v5/pgxpool"
 	db "github.com/niclasheun/prompt2.0/db/sqlc"
 )
 
 type ValidationService struct {
 	queries db.Queries
-	conn    *pgx.Conn
+	conn    *pgxpool.Pool
 }
 
 var ValidationServiceSingleton *ValidationService
 
-func InitValidationService(queries db.Queries, conn *pgx.Conn) {
+func InitValidationService(queries db.Queries, conn *pgxpool.Pool) {
 	ValidationServiceSingleton = &ValidationService{
 		queries: queries,
 		conn:    conn,
diff --git a/server/student/main.go b/server/student/main.go
index 20ee59e..f4aef26 100644
--- a/server/student/main.go
+++ b/server/student/main.go
@@ -2,11 +2,11 @@ package student
 
 import (
 	"github.com/gin-gonic/gin"
-	"github.com/jackc/pgx/v5"
+	"github.com/jackc/pgx/v5/pgxpool"
 	db "github.com/niclasheun/prompt2.0/db/sqlc"
 )
 
-func InitStudentModule(api *gin.RouterGroup, queries db.Queries, conn *pgx.Conn) {
+func InitStudentModule(api *gin.RouterGroup, queries db.Queries, conn *pgxpool.Pool) {
 
 	setupStudentRouter(api)
 	StudentServiceSingleton = &StudentService{
diff --git a/server/student/service.go b/server/student/service.go
index 92cba1a..3c95595 100644
--- a/server/student/service.go
+++ b/server/student/service.go
@@ -4,14 +4,14 @@ import (
 	"context"
 
 	"github.com/google/uuid"
-	"github.com/jackc/pgx/v5"
+	"github.com/jackc/pgx/v5/pgxpool"
 	db "github.com/niclasheun/prompt2.0/db/sqlc"
 	"github.com/niclasheun/prompt2.0/student/studentDTO"
 )
 
 type StudentService struct {
 	queries db.Queries
-	conn    *pgx.Conn
+	conn    *pgxpool.Pool
 }
 
 var StudentServiceSingleton *StudentService
diff --git a/server/testutils/db_setup.go b/server/testutils/db_setup.go
index 3c3753f..c94db72 100644
--- a/server/testutils/db_setup.go
+++ b/server/testutils/db_setup.go
@@ -6,14 +6,14 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"time"
 
-	"github.com/jackc/pgx/v5"
+	"github.com/jackc/pgx/v5/pgxpool"
 	db "github.com/niclasheun/prompt2.0/db/sqlc"
 	"github.com/testcontainers/testcontainers-go"
 	"github.com/testcontainers/testcontainers-go/wait"
 )
 
 type TestDB struct {
-	Conn    *pgx.Conn
+	Conn    *pgxpool.Pool
 	Queries *db.Queries
 }
 
@@ -41,10 +41,10 @@ func SetupTestDB(ctx context.Context, sqlDumpPath string) (*TestDB, func(), erro
 	// Get container's host and port
 	host, _ := container.Host(ctx)
 	port, _ := container.MappedPort(ctx, "5432/tcp")
-	dbURL := fmt.Sprintf("postgres://testuser:testpass@%s:%s/prompt", host, port.Port())
+	dbURL := fmt.Sprintf("postgres://testuser:testpass@%s:%s/prompt?sslmode=disable", host, port.Port())
 
 	// Connect to the database
-	conn, err := pgx.Connect(ctx, dbURL)
+	conn, err := pgxpool.New(ctx, dbURL)
 	if err != nil {
 		container.Terminate(ctx)
 		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to connect to the database: %w", err)
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ func SetupTestDB(ctx context.Context, sqlDumpPath string) (*TestDB, func(), erro
 
 	// Run the SQL dump
 	if err := runSQLDump(conn, sqlDumpPath); err != nil {
-		conn.Close(ctx)
+		conn.Close()
 		container.Terminate(ctx)
 		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to run SQL dump: %w", err)
 	}
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ func SetupTestDB(ctx context.Context, sqlDumpPath string) (*TestDB, func(), erro
 
 	// Return the TestDB and a cleanup function
 	cleanup := func() {
-		conn.Close(ctx)
+		conn.Close()
 		container.Terminate(ctx)
 	}
 
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ func SetupTestDB(ctx context.Context, sqlDumpPath string) (*TestDB, func(), erro
 	}, cleanup, nil
 }
 
-func runSQLDump(conn *pgx.Conn, path string) error {
+func runSQLDump(conn *pgxpool.Pool, path string) error {
 	dump, err := os.ReadFile(path)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("could not read SQL dump file: %w", err)