Veterinary drug loan repayment program pays dividends

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Posted by Kelly Flynn, National Institute of Food and Agriculture in Research and Science

Feb 21 2017

The Veterinary Drug Loan Repayment Program helps veterinarians repay qualified student loans for their services as food animal veterinarians in certain areas of the country. (iStock image)

This position is part of Science Tuesday USDA blog series. Check back weekly as we feature stories and news from USDA’s rich science and research portfolio.

A solid education is crucial for those seeking a career in animal science. However, many student loans can be expensive. But a mortgage-sized student loan payment couldn’t stop someone wanting to be a vet since learning to speak. Dr. Annie Bowes is one of those people.

After acquiring the knowledge to start the career of her dreams, Dr. Bowes found herself in crushing debt. Luckily for this Idaho-based vet, she wasn’t left on her own to reimburse him. In 2011, she received help through the Veterinary Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP) a program funded by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) of the USDA.

Through the VMLRP, NIFA can repay up to $ 25,000 each year in student loan debt to eligible veterinarians. In return, qualified veterinarians must commit to providing medical care for food animals for three years in certain high priority veterinary shortage situations. The VMLRP has assisted 245 veterinarians since the inception of the program in 2010.

“I am grateful for this help,” Bowes said. “It allowed me to settle in a rural area where it is difficult to be successful. I am now able to treat animals on six to eight different farms per day and have over 600 loyal customers.

Veterinarians are essential to food safety in the United States, as well as the health and welfare of animals and humans. Studies indicate that there are significant shortages of food animal veterinarians in some areas of the country. One of the main causes of the shortage in this profession is the high cost of four years of professional training in veterinary medicine, which leaves current graduates of veterinary schools with an average debt of $ 162,000.

Bowes owns Aspen Veterinary Service, a mobile service for large animals, as well as an emergency clinic with a staff of 15 and more than 10,000 loyal customers.

Dr Tim VanDerPloeg is another veterinarian who is using USDA help to develop rural veterinary services. VanDerPloeg will open Somerset Veterinary Center, in Kentucky, soon. Pulaski County, where the clinic will be located, is the third largest cattle county in the state of Kentucky. The clinic will have a 2,300 square foot large animal facility in addition to the 3,400 square foot small animal facility.

“Although recipients of loan repayment assistance are only required to commit to three years of veterinary service in a designated area of ​​shortage, vets like Bowes and VanDerPloeg suggest that the impacts of this funding and connections to their service areas go well beyond three years, ”said Gary Sherman, national VMLRP program manager with NIFA.

With federal government funding and leadership for research, education, and extension programs, NIFA focuses on investing in science and solving critical problems impacting people’s daily lives and l future of the nation. For more information visit www.nifa.usda.gov.

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