The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) is now accepting Rural Veterinarian Incentive Program (RVIP) applications for the 2023 cycle. Applications may be submitted through Sept. 5.

The RVIP provides educational loan repayment assistance or payment of tuition and fees to eligible veterinarians and veterinary medicine students. In return for commitment to work in designated rural areas in Texas, up to a total of $180,000 may assist qualifying recipients.

“The RVIP offers a great opportunity to receive up to $45,000 for each year of full-time veterinary service in rural communities in need of a veterinarian,” said Dr. Andy Schwartz, TAHC executive director and state veterinarian. “We are pleased that this program seeks to provide assistance to veterinarians and veterinary medical students and the designated rural communities that will benefit from veterinary services in their areas.”

To qualify for this program, applicants must meet the following requirements:

  • be a currently enrolled student or graduate of a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program at Texas Tech University’s School of Veterinary Medicine or Texas A&M University’s School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences;
  • Graduates must have graduated within four years of the application date and be a licensed veterinarian.
  • Students currently enrolled in an out-of-state accredited college of veterinary medicine may apply if they graduated from a Texas high school or undergraduate institution.
  • be a U.S. citizen or a Legal Permanent Resident;
  • not be currently fulfilling another obligation to provide veterinary medical services as part of a scholarship agreement, an educational loan agreement or another educational loan repayment agreement;
  • have received an eligible education loan for at least 50% of the funds for tuition and fees for one or more academic years while enrolled in an accredited school of veterinary medicine;
  • agree to practice veterinary medicine full-time in an eligible rural county in Texas for at least one calendar year; and
  • be otherwise eligible to receive payment from the funding source.

Eligible veterinarians and veterinary medicine students can submit the applications to the RVIP Committee through a process facilitated by TAHC.

Applicants should submit the completed RVIP Application From and all required attachments by email to rvip@tahc.texas.gov or by mail to Rural Veterinarian Incentive Program; Texas Animal Health Commission; P.O. Box 12966; Austin, Texas 78711.

For the 2023 application cycle, participants are only eligible to receive assistance for qualified educational loan debt incurred after March 3, 2021, and can only receive assistance for service obligation periods that will be completed before Dec. 31, 2024.

Learn more about the RVIP, who qualifies and how to apply at https://www.tahc.texas.gov/vets/rvip.html.