We are blessed here at the Richmond SPCA to have a reputation that attracts many fourth-year veterinary students. They come to us prior to graduation to learn about shelter medicine from veterinarians in our spay/neuter clinic and medical department.

We recently had a wonderful student from the Richmond area. During his time with us he said he could not understand why anyone wouldn’t seek out such an experience before entering practice.  We afford them the opportunity to help with sterilization surgeries for our shelter animals and they are often able to perform enough procedures that they will have enormous confidence once they go on to private practice. His comment got me wondering what would keep someone from wanting the experience.

Then I came across the dismal comments from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) about the projected critical shortage of veterinarians needed to protect the country’s food supply in the future. There is such a shortfall that in 2003 President Bush signed into law the National Veterinary Medical Service Act (NVMSA) which would implement a loan repayment program for veterinarians who pledge to practice in underserved areas of veterinary medicine. This program has remained dormant and unimplemented by the USDA.

The average debt incurred by today’s graduating veterinarians is nearly $140,000. I find it hard to understand the language of the politics involved but cannot understand why, with that kind of debt load facing recent graduates, the program would not be implemented by the USDA. It would surely be a great success for the new veterinarians and for the communities they serve.

So why not get the program going, and include small as well as large animals? Why not use it to also support veterinary care in community spay/neuter programs and animal shelters, both underserved areas of veterinary medicine? Think of the strides we could make against companion animal overpopulation with new graduates, every year, in every community in need, donating hours every month, for years, to their local animal shelters.  Seems like a winning combination to me.

Today’s blog was written by Dr. Angela Ivey, medical director at the Richmond SPCA. Dr. Ivey spent many years in private veterinary practice before joining the medical staff at the Richmond SPCA in 2004.

No comments have been posted.

Post Your Comments:

Commenting is not available in this weblog entry.