Wis. (WLAX/WEUX) – A loan repayment program is looking to help address a growing shortage in the Badger state. The state veterinarian with the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection says over the past few years, the need for more large animal veterinarians has gotten worse.
Some of the reasons are veterinarians are retiring or shifting to a different type of veterinary medicine. One solution is the veterinary medical loan repayment program through the USDA.
“Each year we state veterinarians submit what we think are the most critical areas to the program. The program staff then reviews those and publishes them in the spring for any interested applicants.”
Veterinarians who become part of the program and work in these shortage areas can get reimbursed up to 25 thousand dollars each year for 3 years.
Konkle says the average loan debt for veterinary medicine students is upwards of 100-thousand dollars.