The Daily O’Collegian

Veterinary student worries about supporting family after graduation

Retiring to his living room after another long tiring day, he collapses into his mahogany brown leather chair in his living room.

He lifts his aching feet to rest comfortably on the ottoman. The room offers a sense of serenity; he is finally home.

The smell of dinner wafts in from the kitchen. His supportive wife is busy cooking meatloaf and mashed potatoes, his favorite meal. He breaths in a long, slow breath and exhales an exhausting sigh.

Duke nudges his hand wanting to play, but he lacks the energy to pick up the ball and start a game of fetch. The sound of his daughter crying in a nearby room summons him to his feet and he leaves to tend to her needs.

He returns with the baby in his arms and tries to comfort her. His eyes are heavy and dark underneath, indicating a lack of sleep. It is Wednesday, and the weekend is still a distant blur.

Josh Posey, 27, is a student in the School of Veterinary Medicine. Not only is he a veterinary student but also he is married and has a 7-month-old daughter, Claire.

He is in his fourth year of veterinary school and spends his days on rotation in the Boren Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, administering care to patients and observing surgeries.

Posey spends an average of 14 hours each day working at the hospital. Posey said he does not have class, but spends every spare minute studying for the national veterinary board certification exam.

Along with the stress associated with graduate school, marriage and fatherhood, Posey said he stresses about the debt he has accumulated from student loans.

First-year veterinary medicine students at OSU incurred tuitions costs of $21,880 for the 2004-05 school year, according to data from the OSU Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid.

Costs for veterinary medicine students for 2002-03 were $19,060, indicating a 14.8 percent increase in tuition costs, according to a study of Oklahoma State’s pricing and financial aid.

“The average student loan debt accumulated by Veterinary Medicine Students at Oklahoma State University in 2006 was about $74,000, while starting salaries for veterinarians average about $49,000, making it difficult to eliminate their debt,” said Michael Lorenz, the dean of the OSU Center for Veterinary Health Sciences.

“It is impossible for me to have a job right now,” Posey said. “I spend the majority of my time on rotation at the animal clinic and studying.”

Posey said he will be paying off his graduate school debts for years after he graduates.

“I know I will make good money working as a veterinarian, but I already have a family to provide for and thousands of dollars in debts to pay off, so the first years will be rough,” Posey said.

Despite the critical public health role of veterinarians, the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges foresees a shortage of veterinarians. The 28 U.S. Colleges of Veterinary Medicine, operating at full capacity, can graduate only 2,500 veterinarians each year. Population trends project a shortage of 15,000 veterinarians by 2025, according to the Office of Legislative Policy and Analysis.

High debt, incurred from student loans, is a determining factor in where recent Veterinary Medicine students decide to practice. In 2003, President Bush signed the National Veterinary Medical Services Act, which provides loan forgiveness to veterinary graduates who are willing to practice in rural areas, according to the Library of Congress.

As stated in the text of the National Veterinary Medical Services Act, in addition to practicing in rural areas, graduates must agree to “provide services to the Federal Government in emergency situations.”

Although the National Veterinary Medical Services Act was signed by the president in 2003, financing to support it has not become available.

Posey said he is aware of the Veterinary Medical Services Act, but it is not something he is considering. Upon graduating this week, Posey plans to move back to his hometown and work with his father, who is also a veterinarian, in Yukon.

“We are really looking forward to moving home to be close to our families when Josh graduates,” Katie Posey, Josh Posey’s wife, said. “It would be amazing to have some of our debts paid off, but moving somewhere very rural just isn’t well-suited for our family.”

“It is hard enough dealing with the stress of studying veterinary medicine, but knowing that I will owe so much when I graduate is overwhelming,” Posey said. “I know there are lots of students who would really benefit from having some of their debts paid and if they allowed you to just provide services for emergency situations without living somewhere rural, I would definitely get involved.”

In 2005, Wayne Allard, R-Colo., introduced the Veterinary Workforce Expansion Act of 2005. The bill would have financed the Veterinary Medical Services Act and authorized a competitive grants program to be administered by the Secretary of Health and Human Services to build infrastructure in veterinary medical education, according to the Office of Legislative Policy and Analysis.

The bill did not pass in 2005, but Allard reintroduced the bill in March.

Now called the Veterinary Workforce Expansion Act of 2007, the bill could award competitive grants to public or other nonprofit schools of veterinary medicine for the purpose of increasing the number of veterinarians in the workforce, according to the Library of Congress. The 10-year, $1.5 billion program will help fund research, diagnostic and training centers.

Allard said that if the proposed bill passes, it will mean graduating veterinary students will have the opportunity to have aid in paying their student loans, if they agree to practice veterinary medicine in rural communities and agree to assist the government in crises.

The pending legislation, the Veterinary Workforce Expansion Act of 2007, will also provide funding to improve veterinary schools in the United States, in hopes of attracting more students.

“This bill would be very beneficial to thousands of veterinary students across the country,” Posey said. “Veterinary students know there is a shortage of vets, and the shortage will continue to grow if there is not more incentive to go to veterinary school.”

“Vet school is difficult, but having a family keeps me focused on my goals,” Posey said. “My wife is my rock; she keeps me focused and gives me the support and strength I need to make it through.”

Posey said that above all, his primary focus is providing for his wife and daughter and, despite his student loans, he is assured they will have a wonderful future.

Although he is obviously exhausted, Posey cradles his daughter in his arms, stares admirably down at her and a huge smile stretches across his face.