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 as part of the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VLMRP).
TAHC will accept nominations until 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018.
As part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) VMLRP, individuals may submit nominations to TAHC for areas they believe have a veterinary shortage.
Areas selected as having a qualified veterinary shortage may benefit from the VMLRP by having a practicing veterinarian locate to the area or remain in the area in exchange for the opportunity to have up to $25,000 per year of student loan debt repaid for up to three years of service.
The VMLRP focuses on three types of veterinary practice and will accept nominations in each category:
Type I Shortage: A veterinarian is needed to spend at least 80 percent of time commitment to private practice food supply veterinary medicine.
Type II Shortage: A veterinarian is needed to spend at least 30 percent of time commitment to private practice food supply veterinary medicine in a rural area (e.g., remote or economically depressed area).
Type III Shortage: A veterinarian is needed to spend at least 49 percent of time commitment to public practice settings (e.g., local, state or federal governmental work), typically in public health, diagnostic laboratory, meat inspection, epidemiology or regulatory veterinary medicine.
Click here to download the nomination form.
TAHC will also accept comments regarding the need to re-nominate previously designated areas. Click here to view the 2018 designated areas.
The completed form and comments regarding re-nominations must be submitted to comments@tahc.texas.gov or faxed to 512-719-0719, attention Dr. Roger Parker.
For more information about the VMLRP and the process of shortage designation, visit the Notice in the Federal Register or the VMLRP website or contact Dr. Roger Parker at 512-832-6580.