The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) is accepting nominations for geographic areas of Texas experiencing a shortage of veterinarians that work in food animal medicine, rural private practice or public practice.

TAHC should be notified of intent to nominate an area prior to application submissions on Oct. 31, 2024.

As part of the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP), areas of veterinary shortage must be nominated and designated to qualify for veterinary loan repayment opportunities in exchange for veterinary services.

Individuals may submit nominations to TAHC for areas they believe have a veterinary shortage. Qualified situations selected as shortage areas may benefit from the VMLRP by attracting or maintaining a veterinarian to the area.

In exchange for up to three years of service, a practicing veterinarian can qualify for up to $25,000 per year of student loan debt repaid through the program.

The VMLRP focuses on three types of veterinary practices and will accept nominations in each category:

  • Type I: Food Supply Veterinary Medicine—At least 80% (32 hours per week) of veterinary services are dedicated to food animals. Includes regulatory work, as well as food safety planning, epidemiology work, public health and any practices that contribute to safe food supply.
  • Type II: Food Supply Veterinary Medicine in a Rural Area—At least 30% (12 hours per week) of veterinary services dedicated to food animals and service area is in a town with less than 50,000 people.
  • Type III: Public Service Practice—Institutions that employ and/or train public service veterinarians (e.g., local, state and federal governmental work). Examples: diagnostic laboratory, public university, meat inspection, epidemiology and regulatory veterinary medicine.

Click here for the nomination form.

TAHC authorized personnel department will work with nomination submitters to complete and enhance applications in Texas. Contact Rex Wyatt at rex.wyatt@tahc.texas.gov to notify of intent to nominate, prior to submitting an application.

The completed nomination form and comments regarding re-nominations must be submitted by email to rex.wyatt@tahc.texas.gov.

USDA will only accept nominations that are reviewed, approved and submitted by TAHC. Forms should not be sent directly to USDA. TAHC will review all nominations and may combine geographic areas, if appropriate.

For more information about the VMLRP and the process of shortage designation, visit the VMLRP website, or contact Rex Wyatt, rex.wyatt@tahc.texas.gov.