Paying Off Loans: What Every Veterinarian Needs To Know

A veterinarian’s main concern is caring for animals. Pet owners, animal lovers, and farmers depend on these specialists to uphold animal health and well-being. Government relies on vets for research into disease, food safety and drugs. 

The last thing the student or newly-graduated vet wants to think about is paying back loans. 

Much like human medical school, veterinary school costs are staggering.  According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), 2016 veterinary graduates have a mean student debt of $141,000. 

Fortunately, there are programs that can help with educational debt—veterinary student loan forgiveness and repayment programs.  Here are just a few to consider:

U.S. veterinary student loan forgiveness and repayment programs

The U.S. Dept. of Agriculture’s Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP), authorized by the National Veterinary Medical Services Act (NVMSA), helps qualified veterinarians offset a significant portion of the debt incurred in pursuit of their veterinary medicine degrees in return for their service in certain high-priority veterinary shortage situations.

To receive this award, you must agree to serve at least three years in a region with a veterinarian shortage. The type and amount of work you do for the yearly award depends on the area where you work. Note that this program focuses primarily on veterinary medicine for livestock raised for food.

 You may receive up to $25,000 of your student loan debt per year. 

For more info:  nifa.usda.gov

State-by-state veterinary student loan repayment assistance programs

Some states (not all) offer repayment assistance.  Note that even in states where legislation was enacted to establish these programs, funding needs to be appropriated. You’ll need to contact the specific programs to find out if they are currently funded and operational.

For more info: avma.org

Army Health Professions Loan Repayment Program

The Army offers a loan repayment program for a variety of health professionals, including veterinarians. Both active duty and reservists are eligible. 

If you are on active duty, you can receive up to $120,000 over three years through the Active Duty Health Professions Loan Repayment Program. If you’re in the reserves, you can receive $50,000 in student loan repayment over three years.

For more info:  military.com OR goarmy.com

Faculty Loan Repayment Program

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) offers loan repayment to those interested in pursuing a career as a faculty member at a health professions school.  The Faculty Loan Repayment Program (FLRP) helps recruit and retain health professions faculty members by encouraging students to pursue faculty roles in their respective health care fields.

Loan payment assistance up to $40,000; Funding to offset the tax burden may be possible.

For more info:  bhw.hrsa.gov

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

The Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program forgives the remaining balance on Direct Loans after you have made 120 qualifying monthly payments under a qualifying repayment plan while working full-time for a qualifying employer.  Eligible jobs are available for veterinarians in government, nonprofit, and military organizations.

For more info:  studentaid.ed.gov

Veterinary medicine is a fulfilling career; the chief reward is the contribution to animal health.  We suggest that you explore all repayment options, including private funding and debt consolidation.

The Wonderful World of Wildlife Rehabilitation – Part I

There’s so much more to being a wildlife rehabilitator than a simple love of wildlife.  Wildlife rehabilitators provide treatment and care to injured, sick or orphaned native species until they are well enough to be released.

Responsibilities

According to the National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association (NWRA), the primary duty of a wildlife rehabilitator is to examine injured wildlife and provide medical care and therapy to help them recover to the point at which they can be released. Typical duties may include feeding, cleaning cages, record keeping, accounting, fundraising, answering phone calls about injured animals and educating the public.

The wildlife rehabilitator should have a good working knowledge of wound management, fluid treatment, the nutritional needs of various species, and humane restraint and capture procedures.

Depending on their geographic location, rehabilitators may work with many species including deer, raccoons, woodpeckers, eagles, hawks, pelicans, herons, turtles, snakes, seals, hummingbirds, ducks, owls, bats, frogs, ferrets, geese, and swans.

Career Options

Wildlife rehabilitators can work for various governmental agencies, nonprofit groups, zoos, and humane societies.  They may also have another primary occupation, working as a veterinarian, veterinary technician, zoologist, or biologist.

Rehabbers can elect to specialize or work with a variety of species.  Some rehabilitators are involved with specialized emergency response teams that travel to areas where animals are in distress. The areas to which they are dispatched often include locations affected by oil spills, hurricanes, or wildfires.

Here’s a bullet list of the career opportunities available for wildlife rehabbers, courtesy of the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council:

• Wildlife rehabilitators
• Marine mammal strandings
• Education Coordinators
• Wildlife Rehabilitation managers
• Volunteer coordinators
• Museum educators
• Raptor rehabilitators
• Animal care technicians
• Nutritionists
• Wildlife educators
• Oil program coordinators
• Animal hospital managers
• Veterinary directors
• Veterinarians
• Veterinary technicians

Training & Licensing

Wildlife rehabilitators must be licensed by the state and/or federal government to work in the field. There are many rules governing the care and capture of wildlife. You will need to get in touch with the appropriate agency to obtain the necessary permits. The best place to start seeking advice on the permit issue is generally the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Many wildlife rehabilitators have a degree in biology, animal behavior, animal science, or zoology; though a college degree is not required to work in this field. They also usually initially intern with experienced wildlife rehabilitator to gain a good foundation of hands-on experience. Volunteering with a wildlife veterinarian or at a large wildlife rehabilitation facility is also a great way to learn.

The International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council (IWRC) offers professional certification to those who pass the Certified Wildlife Rehabilitator (CWR) exam. Recertification is required every two years and is achieved through continuing education credits at seminars, conferences, and training classes.

Salary

Many wildlife rehabilitators work from home and receive little or no financial compensation. Volunteer positions with nonprofit organizations are also common.

For wildlife rehabilitators that are employed by an organization, salary is usually in the $25,000 to $35,000 range. Ask someone in the field and you’ll hear “I’m not in it for the money. The reward is in the release of a healthy animal.”

Salary can vary widely, depending on experience, geography, skill sets, etc.  SimplyHired.com reports an average salary of $51,000 for managers and/or directors; Indeed.com cites salaries as high as $90,000.

Employment Outlook

Wildlife rehabilitation is one of the more recently established animal career options and has expanded to include more paying positions in recent years. According to NWRA surveys, demand for wildlife rehabilitation services has steadily increased throughout the years and is expected to continue to grow.

Next Month: Dealing with Sadness, FAQs, etc.

The content is not medical advise, nor is it intended to be a substitute for veterinary treatment or care. First, consult with your veterinarian before use.