AVMA, AVMF announce loan repayment program for food animal veterinarians

Schaumburg, Ill.—The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF) have announced a $500,000 veterinary student loan repayment program aimed at fighting a food animal veterinarian shortage.

Five veterinarians will each receive a $100,000 incentive—spread over four years of service in areas of need—as part of the Food Animal Veterinarian Recruitment and Retention Pilot Program. The recipients are Dr. Shaw Perrin (The Ohio State University), practicing in Goshen, Ind.; Dr. Austin Avars (The Ohio State University), practicing in Phoenix, Ariz.; Dr. Conrad Spangler (University of Minnesota), practicing in Dalhaert, Texas; Dr. Kay Russo (Cornell University), practicing in Stephensville, Texas; and Dr. Scott Morey (Kansas State University), practicing in Concordia, Kan.

Each recipient has made a commitment to working in food animal medicine for four years in an area that is experiencing a shortage of veterinary care. According to Michael Cathey, head of the AVMF, while the pilot program has made a small but significant impact on the shortage of food animal veterinarians, more still needs to be done.

“Many of our applicants told us they were forced to turn down job offers in rural areas because of their student debt,” Cathey says. “The need for this program is clear, and we need for more organizations and individuals to join us in this important effort.”