The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has defined several veterinarian shortage areas for the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP) and Veterinary Services Grant Program (VSGP). The Veterinary Services Shortage Situation Map identifies the specific shortage locations within the state and the type of need for each location.
Veterinarians practicing in the designated areas, or those interested in practicing in these areas, are encouraged to apply. Funds received through these programs can be used to repay educational loan debt, offer more competitive salaries, provide compensation for overhead costs, and/or purchase new equipment to expand a practice.
VMLRP 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.
VSGP supports food animal veterinary medicine through Education, Extension, and Training funds for accredited schools and organizations and through Rural Practice Enhancement funds for veterinary clinics that provide services in veterinary shortage situations.
The deadline for VSGP applications is Tuesday, April 5, at 5 p.m. VMLRP applications must be submitted by 5 p.m. on Friday, April 15.
Additional information and details on the scheduled webinars on the application process are available on the VMRL and VSGP webpages.
