Veterinary Resources

Blog | VIN Foundation | Supporting veterinarians to cultivate a healthy animal community | veterinary student loan information veterinary student debt information veterinary student debt news veterinary student debt podcast veterinary student debt blog | Federal health professions student loans for veterinary school

Federal Health Professions Student Loans for Veterinary School

A number of U.S. veterinary schools provide access to the Health Professions Student Loan (HPSL), a federal loan program with favorable terms for students pursuing careers in healthcare, including veterinary medicine. Oftentimes, veterinary students are not aware of the availability of HSPL. While an exhaustive official list of all participating veterinary schools is not currently […]

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VIN Foundation | Supporting veterinarians to cultivate a healthy animal community | prevet resources veterinary student resources veterinarian resources | Nonprofit free veterinary resources | Blog | Student Debt Questions & Answers - from 3rd year veterinary students

Student Debt Questions & Answers – from 3rd year veterinary students

Student Loan Borrowing and Repayment Q&A from 3rd Year Veterinary Students, Class of 2027 This post was originally published in 2023 and has been updated with new questions reflecting student loan borrowing and repayment changes for 2026. The following are questions asked during a recent VIN Foundation Climbing Mt. Debt session with 3rd-year veterinary students

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VIN Foundation | Supporting veterinarians to cultivate a healthy animal community | Nonprofit free veterinary resources | Blog | Veterinary Pulse Podcast | Veterinary Pulse Podcast with Dr. Bree Montana and Dr. Jose Pla The Futures So Bright Ins and Outs of Selling a Veterinary practice different types of veterinary practice sale options the emotional mental aspect of selling a veterinary practice

The Future’s So Bright Series – Dr. Bree Montana and Dr. Jose Pla on the importance of telling your veterinary practice story

Listen in as VIN Foundation Executive Director Jordan benShea has a conversation with Dr. Bree Montana and Dr. Jose Pla in the next episode of the podcast series, The Future’s So Bright, the ins and outs of selling a veterinary practice. Jose takes us through the important aspects of sharing the story of your practice. What financial documents do you need? Do you need your tax records? And how important is production? What are minority partnerships? He also does a deep dive into the below five big categories of what needs to be considered when you are getting ready to sell your practice:
Top 5 categories to have when considering selling your veterinary practice:
Lease information
Financial records, make sure they are clean
Make sure that practice management software is able to print out financial reports
Think about your exit plan, are you willing to work and for how many years?
Pay to have a professional evaluator ahead of selling, ideally 2 years

Most importantly, we want to hear from YOU our listeners, to know what topics YOU want to hear about from experts. Please email us to share your thoughts: [email protected].

GUEST BIOS:
Dr. Bree MontanaBree Montana, DVM, CCFP graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a Bachelor of Science degree focused in the field of Biology followed by a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from The Ohio State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. After graduation from veterinary medical school, Dr. Montana worked exclusively in small animal outpatient and emergency hospitals while pursuing additional medical training in the latest technologies. Dr. Montana has advanced training in ultrasonography, echocardiography, chemotherapy, dentistry, emergency medicine and surgery, transfusion medicine, class IV laser therapy, pain management and rehabilitation. A past member of UC Davis’ College of Veterinary Medicine’s External Advisory and Admissions Boards, and a past Board member of the VIN Foundation, Dr. Montana is the Director of the VIN Foundation’s Vets4Vets® programs. When not practicing medicine, Dr. Montana will generally be found playing with her daughter Ember and their ponies, hiking with her huskies, and skiing or snowboarding with her husband. 

Dr. Jose Pla
Dr. Pla obtained his DVM degree from Cornell University in 1995 and his MBA from Rutgers University in 2018. As a practicing veterinarian he has a special interest in feline medicine, behavior, nutrition and gastrointestinal diseases. As a businessman he has been the owner or co-owner of five veterinary practices and a  founding partner of Companion Animal Practices North America. Since obtaining his MBA, Dr. Pla shifted his focus to entrepreneurial ventures, practice management education and private practice transition consulting. He is an avid sailor, scuba diver and wanna-be photographer. Activities he shares with his wife and two sons. 

LINKS AND INFORMATION:

You may learn more about the VIN Foundation, on the website, or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

If you like this podcast, we would appreciate it if you follow and share. As always, we welcome feedback. If you have an idea for a podcast episode, we’d love to hear it!

The Future’s So Bright Series – Dr. Bree Montana and Dr. Jose Pla on the importance of telling your veterinary practice story Read More »

VIN Foundation | Supporting veterinarians to cultivate a healthy animal community | Nonprofit free veterinary resources | Blog | Veterinary Pulse Podcast | Veterinary Pulse Podcast with Dr. Casara Andre on the power of cooperation to create a supportive community

Dr. Casara Andre on the power of cooperation to create a supportive community

Listen in as VIN Foundation Executive Director Jordan benShea has a conversation with Dr. Casara Andre about her first-hand boots-on-the-ground experience as the volunteer branch director of the Front Range Veterinary Medical Reserve Corps (FRvMRC) and how her heart cat brought her to the veterinary profession. Join us as we learn about her story from a forensics anthropologist passion to volunteer work and her successful experience as an entrepreneur. With helpful life lessons and fascinating stories, this episode offers a wonderful opportunity to explore a different veterinary career path full of passion. 
*Episode note… this episode was originally recorded in February 2022 but due to some technical issues was published on April 20, 2022.”

GUEST BIO:
Dr. Casara AndreCasara Andre, DVM, is a Healer consistently motivated by her desire to help all mammals of all species (human and veterinary) repair and sustain their health and wellbeing. A veterinarian by education and training, Dr. Andre’s day-to-day mission is creating a safe-haven and incubator-for-ideas opportunities within medical communities.  By leveraging the power of cooperation, creating a supportive community, and encouraging creative solutions, she works to support entrepreneurship among Healers that have a vision for positive change in the world. Dr. Andre currently serves the geographic regions east of the Continental Divide as the volunteer branch director of the Front Range Veterinary Medical Reserve Corps (FRvMRC).  The FRvMRC is a group of medical and non-medical volunteers working to support a disaster prepared and resilient veterinary community and provide animal-related expertise to non-veterinary disaster response organizations.

LINKS AND INFORMATION:

You may learn more about the VIN Foundation, on the website, or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

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Blog | VIN Foundation | Supporting veterinarians to cultivate a healthy animal community | veterinary student loan information veterinary student debt information veterinary student debt news veterinary student debt podcast veterinary student debt blog | The VIN Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit providing programs to support veterinarians throughout their careers, is proud to announce its latest initiative: "40 Veterinary School Loan Estimations in 60 Days" (40 in 60). This comprehensive project provides detailed student loan estimations for each veterinary school in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Caribbean islands (40 total) to help prospective veterinary students understand the impact of major federal student loan policy changes | press release

VIN Foundation Launches “40 Veterinary School Loan Estimations in 60 Days” to Help Future Veterinarians Navigate New Federal Student Loan Borrowing Limits

VIN Foundation launches “40 Veterinary School Loan Estimations in 60 Days” to help future veterinarians navigate new federal student loan borrowing limits Davis, CA: The VIN Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit providing programs to support veterinarians throughout their careers, is proud to announce its latest initiative: “40 Veterinary School Loan Estimations in 60 Days” (40 in

VIN Foundation Launches “40 Veterinary School Loan Estimations in 60 Days” to Help Future Veterinarians Navigate New Federal Student Loan Borrowing Limits Read More »

VIN Foundation | Supporting veterinarians to cultivate a healthy animal community | Nonprofit free veterinary resources | Blog | Veterinary Pulse Podcast | Veterinary Pulse Podcast with Dr. Bree Montana and Dr. Susan Cohen The Futures So Bright Ins and Outs of Selling a Veterinary practice different types of veterinary practice sale options the emotional mental aspect of selling a veterinary practice

The Future’s so Bright Series: Dr. Bree Montana and Dr. Susan Cohen on the mental and emotional aspect of selling a veterinary practice

Listen in as VIN Foundation Executive Director Jordan benShea has a conversation with Dr. Bree Montana and Dr. Susan Cohen in the 3rd installment of the podcast series The Future’s So Bright, the ins and outs of selling a veterinary practice. This episode we’re diving into the mental and emotional aspect of making the choice to sell a veterinary practice. 
From exploring how identity can be tied up with owning a practice, to how to deal with a shift in life priorities. Bree shares her personal experience, Susan offers tips on how to assess when the right time to sell might be based on a colleague’s individual life circumstance, and we discuss how colleagues can set themselves up for mental success.

Most importantly, we want to hear from YOU our listeners, please weigh in on the discussion, and we want to know what topics YOU want to hear about from experts. Please email us to share your thoughts: [email protected].

GUEST BIOS:
Dr. Bree MontanaBree Montana, DVM, CCFP graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a Bachelor of Science degree focused in the field of Biology followed by a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from The Ohio State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. After graduation from veterinary medical school, Dr. Montana worked exclusively in small animal outpatient and emergency hospitals while pursuing additional medical training in the latest technologies. Dr. Montana has advanced training in ultrasonography, echocardiography, chemotherapy, dentistry, emergency medicine and surgery, transfusion medicine, class IV laser therapy, pain management and rehabilitation. A past member of UC Davis’ College of Veterinary Medicine’s External Advisory and Admissions Boards, and a past Board member of the VIN Foundation, Dr. Montana is the Director of the VIN Foundation’s Vets4Vets® programs. When not practicing medicine, Dr. Montana will generally be found playing with her daughter Ember and their ponies, hiking with her huskies, and skiing or snowboarding with her husband. 

Dr. Susan CohenDr. Susan P. Cohen has been called a pioneer in the fields of pet loss, human-animal interaction, and the human side of veterinary practice. Since 1982 Dr. Cohen has helped pet lovers make decisions about the illness of their pets. She developed the first-ever Pet Loss Support Group and began an animal assisted activity program that took the then-unusual form of having volunteers work with their own pets. She originated many training programs for workers in the veterinary and social service fields, and she has been a field instructor for several schools of social work.
She has written several book chapters and scholarly articles on social work, veterinary practice, and the human-animal bond. Her most recent book chapter, “Loss, Grief, and Bereavement in the Context of Human-Animal Relationships” (Susan Cohen, DSW; and Adam Clark, LSW, AASW) was published in 2019. She is currently working on a chapter on pet loss for Routledge’s International Handbook on Human-Animal Interaction.
These days she consults with veterinary groups on client and professional communication, compassion fatigue, and how to make practice fun again. She facilitates online support groups for veterinarians, animal welfare workers, managers, and those grieving the loss of a pet. She teaches online workshops and lectures widely to veterinary colleges and conferences, colleges of social work, veterinary technician programs, and human health groups on communication, pet loss and bereavement, human-animal interaction, client relations, compassion fatigue, and career development. 
She is Vice Chairperson of SWAHAB (Social Workers Advancing the Human-Animal Bond), the first such committee of the National Association of Social Workers. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The New Yorker, and Smithsonian Magazine. In addition, she has made numerous television and radio addresses nationwide, including “The Today Show,” “20-20,” and “The Oprah Winfrey Show.”

LINKS AND INFORMATION:
VIN Foundation Vets4Vets®: https://vinfoundation.org/v4v
Book appt with Vets4Vets®: https://vinfoundation.org/v4vappt
Veterinary Pulse Podcast on VIN: https://vinfoundation.org/podcast_v
VIN Foundation application access for VIN: https://vinfoundation.org/vinapp

You may learn more about the VIN Foundation, on the website, or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

If you like this podcast, we would appreciate it if you follow and share. As always, we welcome feedback. If you have an idea for a podcast episode, we’d love to hear it!

The Future’s so Bright Series: Dr. Bree Montana and Dr. Susan Cohen on the mental and emotional aspect of selling a veterinary practice Read More »

VIN Foundation | Supporting veterinarians to cultivate a healthy animal community | Nonprofit free veterinary resources | Blog | Veterinary Pulse Podcast | Veterinary Pulse Podcast with Dr. Jennifer Woolf veterinary forensics

Dr. Jennifer Woolf on raising awareness about veterinary forensics and the importance of asking the right questions

*TRIGGER WARNING* Some of the content in this episode may include triggers for topics including animal abuse and interpersonal violence. As a reminder, if you are a veterinary student or veterinarian, the VIN Foundation’s confidential peer-to-peer support group vets4vets® is here for you, at no cost, please know, you are not alone. Call (530) 794-8094 or visit the website to schedule a confidential Vets4Vets® session https://vinfoundation.org/resources/vets4vets/.
Listen in as VIN Foundation Executive Director Jordan benShea has a conversation with Dr. Jennifer Woolf about the current veterinary forensics landscape. Do you know your state’s animal abuse reporting laws? Does the story fit the clinical signs? Do veterinarians need to have experience in veterinary forensics to report animal abuse? In this episode Jennifer covers how animal abuse is currently handled in the veterinary profession, where she sees areas for improvement and the link between animal abuse and interpersonal abuse. 

GUEST BIOS:
Dr. Jennifer WoolfDr. Woolf received her D.V.M. and M.S. (concentration: Veterinary Forensic Sciences) from the University of Florida (UF). Over the years, she has worked in private practices and animal welfare organizations, including relief work at over 50 locations in the Boston, MA and San Francisco, CA areas. In 2014 she founded Woolf Veterinary Forensics Consulting where she lectures internationally on animal abuse, the Link, and veterinary forensics, as well as investigating and consulting on individual cases. She also works for Veterinary Information Network (VIN), behind the scenes and upfront writing articles and developing materials on animal abuse and veterinary forensics for VIN members and the general public. Additionally, Dr. Woolf is an instructor in the UF Veterinary Forensic Sciences Online Graduate Programs, has published numerous articles and a book chapter on animal cruelty topics, and was a 2018-2019 Don Low-CVMA Practitioner Fellow at the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine in the Anatomic Pathology Department. Dr. Woolf is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the International Veterinary Forensic Sciences Association (IVFSA), and a founding member of the Alameda County Animal Cruelty Task Force. Previously she has served on the boards of the IVFSA and the Contra Costa County Veterinary Medical Association.

LINKS AND INFORMATION:

You may learn more about the VIN Foundation, on the website https://vinfoundation.org, or join the conversation on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/VinFoundation, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/vinfoundation, or Twitter https://twitter.com/vinfoundation.

If you like this podcast, we would appreciate it if you follow and share. As always, we welcome feedback. If you have an idea for a podcast episode, we’d love to hear it!

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Blog | VIN Foundation | Supporting veterinarians to cultivate a healthy animal community | veterinary student loan information veterinary student debt information veterinary student debt news veterinary student debt podcast veterinary student debt blog | Federal Student Loan Repayment: 2025 Year-End Wrap and Preparing for 2026

Federal Student Loan Repayment: 2025 Year-End Wrap and Preparing for 2026

It’s been a confusing year in student loan repayment, to say the least. We continue to see changes even as we approach the end of 2025. We have two ongoing points of frustration and one suggestion to round out 2025.  IBR application issues: Partial Financial Hardship update  SAVE may be ending sooner rather than later.

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VIN Foundation | Supporting veterinarians to cultivate a healthy animal community | Blog | Apply Smarter Q&A: Veterinary School Veterinary Income

Apply Smarter Q&A: Veterinary Income

Here are some questions and detailed answers about Veterinary Income asked during the Apply Smarter webinars. We also covered questions and answers about veterinary school application and veterinary student loans. “I’ve heard that it is very tough to have a job while attending vet school? Is it because the program is intense?” Yes, the curriculum

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Student Loan Interest Rates and Repayment — Don’t Listen to Your Parents!

Veterinary educational debt is a complex and continually evolving topic impacting all colleagues, not just current students and new graduates. A recent Merck Animal Health study named student debt as the biggest stressor reported by colleagues. That study also indicated that fewer veterinarians are recommending the profession as a career choice. Practice owners hire indebted associates, more

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