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This is a summary of state laws addressing state veterinary loan programs. Please contact the AVMA State Legislative and Regulatory Affairs Department1 for the actual text of any of the provisions.
GEORGIA
Georgia law provides for service cancelable educational loans to state residents who are enrolled in school in the field of doctor of veterinary medicine. The program shall designate specialties within the veterinary science field that qualify for service cancelable loans, and shall give preference to those specialties in which there are shortages of veterinarians trained in that specialty in the State of Georgia. Loans are not limited to students attending a veterinary school in Georgia.
As provided in the statute, the loans are conditional upon the student agreeing that the loan shall be repaid either (1) by practicing in an approved qualified field in certain shortage geographical areas in Georgia or (2) in cash repayment with assessed interest. If a student opts for repayment by service (option 1), the loan is to be repaid at a rate of one year of service for each academic year of study, or its equivalent.
A geographical area for service repayment shall not be approved unless the area is rural, sparsely populated, or a community of 10,000 people or less, and is experiencing a shortage of licensed veterinarians to meet the needs of owners or producers of farm animals used for or in connection with the production of commercial food products.
KANSAS
Kansas law established a veterinary training program for the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine to enter into agreements with up to five first-year veterinary students per year to locate their veterinary practice in rural Kansas communities and to receive specialized training targeted to meet the needs of livestock producers in those rural communities.
As provided in the statute, each student receives a loan in the amount of $20,000 per year, for up to four years, for tuition, school, travel, and training expenses incurred by a student pursuing a veterinary degree. Upon satisfaction of all commitments under the provisions of the agreement, the loans are forgiven. Preference for loans is given to Kansas residents. The program is administered by the KSU College of Veterinary Medicine.
LOUISIANA
The Louisiana legislature created a loan program for eligible applicants who become food animal veterinarians in the state. The Louisiana Student Financial Assistance Commission may use appropriated funds to make loans to not more than four students each year who meet the eligibility criteria. To be eligible, a student must be a U.S. citizen and resident of Louisiana.
A loan amount may not exceed the amount of actual tuition charges to be paid by the student to the school of veterinary medicine. A student must repay the loan with interest; however, a portion of the loan equal to a year's tuition charges together with the interest is forgiven for each year the student practices as a food animal veterinarian in Louisiana.
The statute provides that the Commission may receive and accept funds from public and private sources to meet administrative and other expenses of the implementation of the program.
MAINE
Maine created the Access to Medical Education and Health Professions Loan Program for eligible Maine residents pursuing veterinary education. Veterinarians providing services to Maine residents with insufficient veterinary services are forgiven the larger of 25% of the original outstanding indebtedness plus any accrued interest, or $7,500 for each year of practice.
In addition, The Finance Authority of Maine has entered into a contract with Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine to provide one preferred seat for a Maine resident each year. FAME will pay a fee of $12,000 to provide access to a student who expresses a serious interest in practicing large animal veterinary care in an area of Maine determined to be underserved. The $12,000 capitation fee is used to reduce tuition and is treated as a loan to the student that is eligible for forgiveness if the student returns and practices large animal veterinary medicine in a designated underserved area in Maine. Underserved areas are determined by the Commissioner of Agriculture.
MISSOURI
Missouri's Large Animal Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program provides loan repayment for graduates of approved veterinary medical schools who practice in areas of defined need, and is administered by the Maine Department of Agriculture. A student is eligible if he or she is a citizen or permanent resident of the U.S., is a resident of Missouri, and is enrolled as a full-time veterinary medical student in his or her final year of study at an accredited veterinary school. The qualified applicant must agree to serve in an area of defined need for four years.
The loans consist of payment on behalf of the individual for the principal, interest and related expenses on loans received for tuition, fees, books, laboratory and living expenses incurred by the student. The maximum amount of loan repayment that may be paid on behalf of an individual per year of service is $20,000.
The program makes loans available for up to six qualified applicants per academic year in an amount not to exceed $80,000 total per applicant, priority being given to eligible students who have established financial need. Loan principal and interest is forgiven provided the recipient practices large animal veterinary medicine in underserved areas of the state.
In addition, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services reserves two positions for new veterinarians to serve as public health veterinarians in Missouri. Both seats have been filled on a yearly basis.
NEBRASKA
Nebraska's Food Supply Animal Veterinary Incentive Program will provide for up to four veterinarians to enter a contract with the Department of Agriculture to provide full-time veterinary medicine services as a food supply animal veterinarian in a food supply animal veterinary practice, or in a rural mixed animal veterinary practice, for four years in one or more Department-approved shortage-area communities.
The four selected veterinarians are eligible to receive up to $80,000 under the program as an incentive to locate in rural Nebraska and to practice food supply animal veterinary medicine. Veterinarians must be licensed in North Dakota in order to participate. Participants must also be accredited by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Inspection Service Veterinary Services by the end of the first year of service.
A participant may receive up to $15,000 after completion of the first year of service, up to $15,000 after completion of the second year of service, up to $25,000 after completion of the third year of service, and up to $25,000 after completion of the fourth year of service. The Food Supply Animal Veterinary Incentive Fund may accept any money received as gifts or grants or other private or public funds.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
New Hampshire's Large Animal Veterinarian Net Tuition Repayment Program and Fund was created for the promotion, acquisition, and retention of large animal veterinarians in those areas of the state where there is a need. The program is administered by the Postsecondary Education Commission, with the counsel of the state veterinarian.
A qualifying veterinarian shall have at least 35% of his or her veterinary practice devoted to large animal veterinary medicine in each year in which a net tuition repayment is made. "Net tuition" is defined as tuition costs for any post-secondary school education directed towards the completion of a DVM. Veterinarians who agree to this program become eligible to be reimbursed up to 100% of his or her qualifying veterinary net tuition costs, or $100,000, whichever is less, after a 10 full year period of maintaining a veterinary practice devoted in part to large animal veterinary medicine.
A 10% net tuition repayment shall be made upon entering practice in Nebraska and again after each full year of practice for a maximum of 10 periods of repayment. The statute requires that a minimum balance of $100,000 shall be in the large animal veterinarian net tuition repayment fund prior to the selection of the first participating veterinarian. In order for additional veterinarians to participate, $100,000 shall be available for each participating veterinarian.
NORTH DAKOTA
North Dakota's Loan Repayment Program allows the state health council to select up to three veterinarians per year to provide food animal veterinary medicine services to defined need areas in the state. Those selected will contract to provide full-time veterinary medicine services for two, three or four years in one or more selected communities.
A veterinarian completing six months of the first year of service is eligible to receive a loan payment in an amount not more than $15,000. Upon completing a second year of service, the veterinarian is eligible to receive a loan payment in an amount not more than $15,000. Upon completion of a third year of service, the veterinarian may receive up to $25,000. Upon completion of the fourth year of service, the veterinarian may receive up to $25,000. The veterinarians are only eligible to receive up to $80,000 in loan repayment funds over a four year period.
These veterinarians must be licensed to practice veterinary medicine in North Dakota. The state health council may accept any conditional or unconditional gifts, grants, or donations for the purpose of providing funds for the program.
OHIO
Ohio established a Veterinary Education Loan Repayment Program for veterinarians practicing or intending to practice in defined shortage areas. Under the program, the Ohio Board of Regents may agree to repay all or part of the principal and interest for expenses incurred while a veterinarian was enrolled, for a maximum of four years, in an accredited veterinary college. No repayment is to exceed $20,000 in any year. Eligibility is limited to students (1) enrolled in the final year of a veterinary medical program or (2) veterinarians engaged in the practice of veterinary medicine in the state for not more than three years prior to submitting the application.
Loans will be approved if the loan repayment fund contains sufficient money and the applicant meets the eligibility requirements. Loan recipients must agree to provide large animal veterinary services, veterinary services necessary to implement or enforce the law, or veterinary services to protect public health, in an identified veterinary resource shortage area for at least two years or one year per $10,000 of repayment agreed to, whichever is greater.
The state veterinary medical licensing board may accept gifts of money from any source for the implementation and administration of this program. The state veterinary medical licensing board must submit an annual report to the Governor and to the General Assembly describing the operations of the program during the previous calendar year.
In addition, Ohio State's Department of Animal Sciences and its College of Veterinary Medicine are jointly sponsoring a new program entitled, "Veterinary Early Commitment Program for Students Interested in Food Supply Medicine," to encourage animal sciences students to apply for admission into the College of Veterinary Medicine during the spring quarter of their second year of study. In return, the veterinary college will reserve a maximum of 10 seats for the most qualified students among the applicants. These students will enter the College of Veterinary Medicine following the completion of their bachelor's degree.
OKLAHOMA
Oklahoma's Large Animal Veterinarian Incentive Act is to be administered by the Oklahoma State University Center for Veterinary Services ("Center") and will provide opportunities and incentives for individuals pursuing a veterinary medicine degree at OSU to locate their veterinary practice in rural Oklahoma communities and to receive specialized training targeted to meet the needs of livestock producers in rural Oklahoma communities.
Subject to available funds, the Center will enter into agreements with up to three first-year veterinary students or currently practicing large animal veterinarians with qualifying school loans. Preference is given to Oklahoma residents and those who agree to service in an underserved area of Oklahoma.
Each student will receive assistance in an amount not to exceed $20,000 per year for not more than 4 years provided that the veterinarian, or student upon graduation, engages in the full-time practice of veterinary medicine in any community in Oklahoma which has a population not exceeding 25,000 for a period of at least 12 continuous months for each separate year an individual receives assistance under the program.
PENNSYLVANIA
Pennsylvania's Agricultural Education Loan Forgiveness Program makes qualified applicants eligible for payment by the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency ("Agency") of a portion of the debt incurred by the applicant for the education necessary to receive a degree in an agriculturally related field.
The Agency shall forgive a proportional part of the applicant's loan for each year the applicant (1) is employed full time or works full time on a family farm, (2) holds a degree in a field of veterinary medicine, and (3) is engaged in the mixed practice of veterinary medicine within Pennsylvania, a portion of which activity must be for the protection and enhancement of agricultural animal health and productivity and has obtained USDA certification.
No more than $2,000 shall be forgiven in any year, and no more than $10,000 shall be forgiven for any applicant.
WASHINGTON
Washington's Food Animal Veterinarian Conditional Scholarship Program will select up to two students per year at the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine to receive conditional scholarships. The scholarships may be awarded from funds appropriated to the university for this purpose, or from any private donations or any other funds given to the university for this program. The amount of the scholarship awarded per individual may not exceed the amount of resident tuition and fees at the college, as well as the cost of room, board, laboratory fees and supplies, and books.
Participants may receive conditional scholarships for a maximum of five years. A participant incurs an obligation to repay the conditional scholarship, with interest, unless he or she devotes at least 50% of his/her practice to large production animal practice in Washington for each year he or she receives a scholarship.
WYOMING
Wyoming's Veterinarian Loan Repayment Program authorizes the Wyoming Livestock Board to enter into agreements with veterinarians to provide food animal health care in Wyoming. Eligible veterinarians shall be repaid up to 100% of the amount of outstanding veterinary educational loans, not to exceed $30,000 per year, including specified matching funds.
The participant is required to practice food animal veterinary services for a minimum of 3 years under the agreement. The program also requires at least 25% matching funds from local governments, universities, the private sector, or veterinary associations. The legislation providing for this program establishes an appropriation of $270,000 from the general fund to the Wyoming Livestock Board for the purpose of providing loan repayment under this program.
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