VMLRP Frequently Asked Questions

What is VMLRP?
The VMLRP is an educational loan repayment program for veterinarians who have earned a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree (or equivalent) from an American Veterinary Medical Association-accredited College of Veterinary Medicine and have existing veterinary educational debt.  In return for loan repayment, VMLRP award recipients provide agricultural (i.e., food and fiber-producing) animal veterinary services in a designated veterinary shortage situation area for three years. The intent of the program is to strengthen the nation’s animal health infrastructure and to ensure food security and safety. VMLRP encourages applicants to reach out to the program if they have any questions about the application process or the program in general.

Please contact the VMLRP program office by email at vmlrp@usda.gov if you have any questions. 

How can I apply to the VMLRP?
The application forms can be downloaded from the Applicants section of the VMLRP website and submitted to NIFA as outlined in the Request for Application (RFA).

Who funds NIFA and the VMLRP?
NIFA and the VMLRP are supported by annual congressional appropriations. The Federal budget line-item designation for the VMLRP, within appropriations to the USDA NIFA, is National Veterinary Medical Services Act (NVMSA).

How many applications do you receive annually? How many awards are given out?
On average VMLRP receives about 150 applications and issues approximately 90 awards each year. However, the number of awards depends on factors that may change with each funding cycle, such as the amount of appropriated funds, the characteristics and quality of the applicant pool, and eligible debt held by successful applicants, but the program’s intent is to maximize the number of awards within the available funding.

Where can I find information on how often new graduates receive this award? 
On an annual basis, a report is created to provide information about the applications, awards, and designated veterinary shortage areas. The VMLRP Annual Reports are found at VMLRP Annual Reports | NIFA. 

How are applicants selected for VMLRP awards?
Applications are evaluated by a panel of peer reviewers who are selected based upon training and experience in relevant veterinary clinical medicine, veterinary science, or veterinary specialty area fields. In carrying out their reviews, the members of the peer review panel consider the quality of the match between an applicant’s professional training and experience and the circumstances and needs of the designated shortage situation the applicant proposes to fill. The evaluation criteria used by the panel can be found in Part III of the Request for Application (RFA). 

When will applicants be notified about their awards?
VMLRP applicants will receive notice of award funding by September 30th following the application deadline.

Will the VMLRP be offered next year?
NIFA intends to hold an application cycle for the VMLRP each year. However, funding is contingent upon the availability of appropriations each fiscal year. It is not possible to predict potential appropriations for this or any other program prior to appropriation action each year.

Who should be contacted if a person is interested in serving as a reviewer on the panel?
If you are interested in participating as a panelist, we ask that you complete the USDA NIFA Peer Review System Panelist Recruitment. Panelists are selected based on their expertise, credentials, and NIFA panel needs. For more information, contact the program staff listed in the Request for Applications for the program you are interested in serving.  

Who is eligible? Who is not eligible to apply for the VMLRP?
You are eligible if you: 

1. possess a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM (or equivalent)) degree from a college of Veterinary Medicine accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Council on Education (COE),
2. have qualified veterinary educational loan debt with a combined minimum of $15,000, and
3. are able to secure employment in a designated veterinary shortage situation within 90 days of award notification, and
4. meet all other terms and conditions of the application process as identified in 7 CFR 3431.9 and award criteria identified in 7 CFR 3431.10. 

How do I know if I have an outstanding service obligation?
If you have questions about any service obligation for loan repayment, you will need to contact the institution that awarded you a grant, award, or scholarship with the associated service obligation to ascertain the terms of the obligation. An individual who owes a service obligation for veterinary service to an entity (e.g., Federal government, State government, or institution) is ineligible for the VMLRP unless the obligation will be completely satisfied prior to the beginning of service under the VMLRP. A veterinarian who is under a service obligation may contact the program at VMLRP.application@usda.gov for a determination of VMLRP eligibility. In addition, if you are still interested in the VMLRP after you complete your service obligation and continue to meet the eligibility criteria, you may apply for a VMLRP award in a future application cycle.

Does participation in scholarship or loan forgiveness programs (such as the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program) make me ineligible to participate in the VMLRP?
If your participation does not incur a service obligation and you still maintain a qualified amount of educational loan debt, you remain eligible to participate in the VMLRP. However, we would encourage applicants to reach out directly to the Department of Education, or other program sponsor, for additional information on how participation in VMLRP may impact their PSLF status, qualifying payments, etc.

Can I receive VMLRP repayment for more than three years?
If you continue to meet VMLRP eligibility requirements, you may apply to renew your VMLRP agreement for as long as it takes to repay all your DVM debt.  Renewal awards can be for one, two, or three years depending on the amount of eligible debt at application.  Renewals are competitive and are reviewed using similar criteria applied to new awards, with an additional element. Renewals are also reviewed on the progress made during your initial award. Additional information on renewal applications can be found in the RFA.

Can I receive credit toward my service obligation for the service already performed if I am employed in a designated veterinary shortage area?
VMLRP services are not retroactive. The services required for the VMLRP begin on the starting date of the service agreement. 

Do I need to have a DVM (or equivalent) degree before I apply?
Individuals are required to possess a DVM (or equivalent) degree from a College of Veterinary Medicine accredited by the AVMA COE by July 1 of the respective application year.  Please review the eligibility information within the RFA for further requirements. 

I am graduating this year, and I don’t have my APHIS accreditation certification date, what should I put on my application where it asks for this information?
If you are graduating this year and are waiting on a state license and/or APHIS accreditation you can put ‘pending’ in those areas of the form. You must show proof of graduation from a U.S. AVMA-accredited College or School of Veterinary Medicine, offering either a DVM or VMD degree, by July 1, of the year you apply for a VMLRP award. It is understood that if you are graduating in the same year that you are applying to the VMLRP, you may not have your degree yet. Therefore, the VMLRP provides that additional time needed to finish your final semester. You will be required to provide a copy of your certification and/or license prior to executing a service agreement.

Is the VMLRP for new graduates only?
Anyone with a DVM degree (or equivalent) from a College of Veterinary Medicine accredited by the AVMA COE is welcome to apply. Both new and experienced veterinarians with eligible educational debt are welcome to apply.

Do I need to move into the shortage area if my practice is in a county that borders a designated shortage situation area to be eligible to participate?
The VMLRP is a national program, thus the objective is to fill shortage situations with veterinarians best able to mitigate these shortages. There is no requirement that applicants live, or be based, in the same county or state as the shortage situation. It must be clear in your application how you will provide services to the entire shortage situation which you are applying to serve.

Can I apply if I already have an established practice in a designated veterinary shortage situation area?
The VMLRP includes veterinarians with established practices in shortage areas as a means of retention in addition to the recruitment of veterinarians to shortage areas. Competitiveness may also depend upon the evaluation criteria stated within the RFA to determine the relative severity of the veterinary shortage situation; and the practicality and logistical feasibility of applicant’s plan to address the specific shortage.

Can I still apply if I received my DVM from a college that is not accredited by the AVMA?
Federal regulations dictate that, to be eligible for the VMLRP, eligible loans must be received for the individual’s attendance at a College of Veterinary Medicine accredited by the AVMA COE.  The AVMA COE is a specialized accrediting agency that is recognized and authorized by the U.S. Department of Education. The list of veterinary schools accredited by the AVMA COE can be found at: https://www.avma.org/education/accredited-veterinary-colleges. 

Am I eligible if the US veterinary school I attended became accredited* by the AVMA?
The VMLRP will only repay debt incurred at an institution that is accredited at the time of attendance through graduation. If the school was accredited the first day of attendance, the VMLRP will repay debt incurred at that institution during the time of attendance, through graduation. This includes any scenario involving an individual transferring from a non-accredited institution to an accredited institution. Individuals with a degree from an institution that was not accredited at the time the degree was conferred remain ineligible for award. Individuals who attended an accredited institution prior to transferring to a non-accredited institution from which they received their DVM are not eligible for VMLRP.

Regarding accreditation of foreign schools, VMLRP will repay debt incurred at an institution during the time that institution was AVMA-COE accredited, which could be several years after the establishment of that school. If an institution received accreditation status during your attendance at this institution, only the portion of veterinary school loans that were disbursed after the institution’s date of accreditation shall be repaid by the VMLRP. If you received your DVM degree from an institution that was not accredited at the time the degree was conferred, you remain ineligible for a VMLRP award. For example, Ross University established their veterinary school in 1982, but did not receive their accreditation until January 2011. Only veterinarians who graduated from Ross University in 2011 and later would be eligible to have their loan paid back only for the years the school was accredited.

Which loans are eligible for loan repayment?
Loans qualify for repayment if they are or have been issued by any U.S. government (federal, state, or local) entity, accredited U.S. academic institution(s), and/or commercial lender(s) that are subject to examination and supervision in their capacity as lending institutions by an agency of the United States or the state in which the lender has its principal place of business.  Loans must have been used by the applicant for tuition expenses, or other reasonable educational or living expenses, while attending a college of veterinary medicine accredited by the AVMA Council on Education resulting in a DVM degree (or equivalent). Loans not taken for educational purposes, or which have been consolidated with non-educational debt or with the debt of another person, are not eligible. A Master Promissory Note or Consolidated Promissory Note is required for all applicants with private lender loans and consolidations not available on the Federal Student Aid (FSA) website.

Are my undergraduate loans eligible for repayment through the VMLRP?
No.  The VMLRP will only pay for loans that were received for attendance at an AVMA Council on Education accredited veterinary school resulting in a DVM (or equivalent) degree.

Are loans consolidated with undergraduate loans eligible for repayment through the VMLRP?
If you consolidated your veterinary school loans with other educational loans (e.g., undergraduate), you may apply for the VMLRP; however, only the eligible portion of the consolidation (veterinary school loans) will be eligible for the VMLRP if you are selected for an award. The VMLRP Loan Consolidation website has an example of how the amount of your award is calculated if your DVM loans were consolidated with other educational loans. The VMLRP Loan Document Tutorial has detailed information on each type of loan document for each loan listed in your application. Please visit the RFA for further application requirements and deadlines.

Applicants with consolidated loans must submit a list of loans that were included in the consolidation. Individuals who consolidated their DVM loans with non-educational loans, such as a home equity loan or personal loan, or loans belonging to another individual, such as a spouse or child, are ineligible for VMLRP repayment.

I consolidated my student loans. Do you need me to send promissory notes for the original loans?
No. You need to provide at least the consolidation loan promissory note (must show list of every loan included in the consolidation). A Master Promissory Note would suffice if it included the consolidation loan.  

I have an online account with my lender. Can I send a printout of my account statement? 
Yes. Please be sure the printout shows your name, current balance and date, loan type, and repayment status.

Is the interest accrued on my DVM loan debt eligible for the VMLRP?
Interest accrued on DVM loan debt does count towards the VMLRP. However, interest accrued during the program does not count towards the VMLRP as this is classified as new DVM loan debt. It would be applicable if an applicant chooses to renew their agreement. The total awarded amount and repayment schedule for each applicant is determined by the DVM loan debt at the time of application.

When do I need to start employment in a shortage area to be eligible? Can I apply if I have not secured an offer in one of the designated shortage situation areas?
You may apply even if you have not secured an offer of employment or started a practice in a designated shortage area. You will be given 90 days from the notification of your award to secure employment or establish a practice in the designated veterinary shortage situation.  Failure to secure employment or establish a practice in the designated veterinary shortage situation within the given timeframe may result in withdrawal of the award offer.

What is a shortage situation and who determines an area as a shortage situation?
Shortages are defined through implementation of a shortage nomination process.  State Animal Health Officials (SAHOs), Federal animal health officials, or their designees, submit nominations to designate specific areas within their jurisdiction that are experiencing a shortage of food and fiber animal veterinarians.  NIFA recruits a panel of veterinary experts to review the nominations to ensure the areas and the services required are clearly described. Shortage situation areas are nominated each year. Each state or U.S. Insular Area is allocated the number of shortage nominations they may submit per year based on state land area and total farm-gate value of animals and animal products, as reported by the National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS). Each year, the SAHO can choose to carry over the previous years’ nominations or designate new shortage areas.

Prior to the opening of the annual application cycle for veterinarians, a map displaying all designated veterinary shortage situations, with links to each individual nomination, is available on the VMLRP website.  Potential applicants can view designated shortage situations for the current application year. To view current shortages the user clicks on the state of interest on the U.S. map and then can select a shortage by location and type of service.

How many nominations does NIFA receive and how many received designation as a shortage situation?
Each year, NIFA receives approximately 230 nominations from SAHOs across the country. Through the review process, NIFA provides an opportunity for SAHOs to resolve any clarifying questions so that each nomination will be published to accept applications.  The intent of the review process is to ensure that the published information provides clear guidance to applicants of the nature and location of the veterinary services required. When a veterinarian applies to serve a shortage area, their application is evaluated by a review panel in conjunction with the shortage area, to ensure they are the best fit for the area. 

How many people can get awarded in a shortage situation area?
The two highest ranked applicants to a veterinary shortage situation area can both be awarded if applicants work at different clinics or veterinary businesses within the veterinary shortage situation area. Both must have been recommended for an award by being placed in the Outstanding or High Priority category in the final ranking by the review panel., In addition, the SAHO who nominated the area must approve placing two VMLRP awardees in the same veterinary shortage situation area. 

If you receive a VMLRP award one year, how does it work getting it the following two years? What if your shortage area does not qualify as a shortage area the following year? 
The award for new applicants lasts for three years to provide services in the shortage area to which you applied. Every SAHO manages awarded shortage areas differently depending on each State’s situation. Some will consider the VMLRP awardee as filling the shortage and will nominate a new shortage area the next year.  If a SAHO knows there is still a need for additional food animal practitioners in that area, they may renominate the same area the following year, or a new area with some overlapping territory.  Regardless of the SAHO’s nomination decision, if you accept an award with the VMLRP as a new applicant, your obligation is to provide services in the shortage situation area in which you were awarded for three years.

Will the VMLRP shortage situation areas for this year be available next year?
Shortage situation areas are nominated by each state’s or Insular Area’s SAHO each year. SAHOs are allocated a specific number of shortage nominations they can submit for their respective states or Insular Areas. Each year, a SAHO can choose to carry over the previous years’ nominations or designate new shortage areas. This decision is handled differently by each SAHO and is based on a multitude of factors individual to each state.

How often will NIFA solicit nominations from SAHOs?
NIFA presumes that, over time, the shortage situation priorities of a state may change. NIFA is also mindful of shifts in threats to animal health in time and space. To address changing conditions, VMLRP assesses the relative demand for reprioritization of shortage situation distribution within the States on an annual basis. Moreover, VMLRP reserves the right to solicit nominations from SAHOs on a biennial basis to save on administrative costs, adhere to the aggressive annual program schedule, and/or to respond to funding fluctuations.

How do I know if a certain area qualifies as a shortage situation for the VMLRP?
Prior to the opening of an application cycle, a map displaying all designated veterinary shortage situations is available on the VMLRP website. You will be able to view designated shortage situations for the current application year. For shortages within a particular state click the state of interest on the U.S. map.

Why does my state or area not have a designated shortage situation area?
The SAHO of each state is the authorized nominator of shortage situations for the respective state. Stakeholders with interest in providing data in support of nominating a shortage situation may contact their SAHO. It is important to keep in mind that the number of shortage situations is capped for each state, based on state land area and total farm-gate value of animals and animal products, as reported by the National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS). Therefore, the nominating official, or their designee, is responsible for prioritizing the severity of shortage situations and submitting nominations based on that prioritization. There is no guarantee that a SAHO will prioritize any given position, location or services high enough to nominate an area.  Nevertheless, it is also anticipated that SAHOs would find input from stakeholders very helpful as they undertake this prioritization process in response to periodic solicitations by NIFA for new nominations. If there are no designated shortage situations in your state or area, it may be that no shortage situation nominations were submitted by the state.

Can I apply for multiple locations that may be of interest to me?
No.  Each applicant may choose only one shortage situation. Select your best match, make your best case, and be strategic.

On the Shortage nomination form, there is a 'must cover' and 'may cover' species list. For type I/II shortages, does this mean that the FTE service requirement can include any of those species versus only the 'must cover' category?
Service agreement eligible services must be provided within the geographical location described and to any animal commodity or species listed as “Must serve”. Services can be provided to any agricultural (food or fiber producing) animal, animal commodity, or species when a recipient is unable to fulfill their time commitment with the “Must serve” species on page one of the form. Equine practice that provides services in support of agriculture and livestock production can be listed as a species other than “Must serve”. “Must serve” species or species types are those animals a veterinarian must be prepared, willing, and committed to provide services for, to mitigate the shortage situation.

The Full Time Equivalent (FTE) is the number of working hours representing one full-time employee during a fixed working time. For the VMLRP, this equates to a 40-hour work week. This determination recognizes not all food animal species require the same level of services year-round, and a veterinarian may need the flexibility to provide services to other species during an "off season" to meet their percentage FTE. Any challenges with fulfilling these requirements need to be discussed with the VMLRP as soon as they are discovered to avoid a breach of agreement. The goal for Must Serve species is approximately 50% with all other food animal species fulfilling the other 50% of agreement service time. 

How does NIFA know whether an award recipient is fulfilling his or her agreement in accordance with the terms and conditions of the agreement?
NIFA requires the award recipient to complete and submit a quarterly verification of service format attesting to the statements that they are meeting the terms and conditions of their agreement. NIFA is authorized to perform audits and site visits of participants should the need arise.  The quarterly loan repayment disbursements will not be released until this verification is provided to NIFA.

Do I have to stay and serve the same area for the entire three years of the VMLRP agreement?
Yes. A transfer from one VMLRP designated shortage situation to another will not be authorized. 

Will NIFA help me find employment in a shortage area?
No.  This program is only a loan repayment program.  It is up to the applicant to find or create a veterinary position in the designated area and thereby mitigate the shortage.

Under what circumstances will NIFA allow an award recipient to be released from the service obligation before the end of the agreement?
Early termination of an agreement will not be considered a breach in cases where such necessary release is beyond the control of the award recipient. For example, a state may determine funding for a Type-III position (Public Practice shortage) is no longer available or a veterinary practice might unexpectedly close in a shortage area leaving the award recipient without employment or the ability to open their own practice.  

Who can be a recommender for a VMLRP application?
There are no specific requirements on who a recommender may be, it is up to the applicant to choose who they think will write the best recommendation for their application. We do encourage applicants to choose their recommenders based on the case they made in their personal statement and represent their ability to serve the specific requirements that are listed in the shortage nomination form. The recommenders should be able to speak to your ability to serve that shortage area. These recommendation letters will be used by the panel to assess your application and your ability to fulfill the shortage situation area to which you applied. We encourage applicants to reach out as early as possible to their recommenders, to ensure that recommendation letters get submitted by the deadline. 

Is it best to have recommenders send their forms directly to you or for us to include it into our entire application?
You can include your recommendation letters in your application, or you can have your recommenders send their recommendation letters directly to us; whichever is more convenient to you. You must have 3 recommendation letters by the deadline to be considered for the program. It is always the applicant’s responsibility to contact and follow up with recommenders to ensure all required recommendations are completed and submitted in accordance with the applicable instructions. Recommenders will receive verification of receipt of an emailed recommendation from the VMLRP program team. 

Is an electronic signature on the application form acceptable or does it need to be printed and signed?
Both electronic signatures and ink signatures are acceptable on the forms.

When can I submit a renewal application?
If you have at least $15,000 of qualified DVM education debt and continue to meet the eligibility criteria at the end of your current VMLRP award, you may apply for a renewal award during the application cycle that is the last year of your current service agreement or the following year of the expiration date of your service agreement.  For example, if your service agreement is scheduled to end on December 31, 2024, then you should submit a renewal application during the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 or 2025 application cycle. Please visit the VMLRP News & Timeline for updates on timelines and news.

What shortage situation code do I use for a renewal award? 
Renewal awards are based on your current (original) awarded shortage situation. Therefore, the shortage situation does not need to be listed on the VMLRP designated shortage situation map for the current application year. If the area you are serving is designated for the current application year, be sure to use the shortage identification code for your original award. 

You can find your shortage identification code on any of your service verification forms, service agreement, or Award Face Sheet (also known as the notification of award).

How will my renewal application be evaluated?
Renewal applications will be evaluated with the Evaluation Criteria for renewal applications that will be described in the Request for Applications. In addition, reviewers will examine the progress you made during your original VMLRP service agreement and plans for continued progress in relieving the shortage situation. Please review the Evaluation Criteria found in the RFA.

How is the length of the award determined for a renewal? 
If you have $15,000 to $40,000 remaining eligible debt, then you are eligible to receive a one-year renewal award.  If you have $40,001 to $80,000 remaining eligible debt, then you are eligible to receive a two-year renewal award. If you have more than $80,001 remaining eligible debt, then you are eligible for a three-year renewal award. NIFA reserves the right to determine the length of renewal awards based on its budget and funding priorities.

How is the award amount determined for a renewal award? 
For a renewal award, VMRLP requires a new loan statement from your servicer be submitted for updating of original application information submitted to determine the renewal eligible amount. VMLRP will review the loan statement submitted to ensure the currently eligible amount is at least $15,000 of DVM education debt. If the original award is from 2022 or older, applicants with consolidated loans must also submit a list of loans that were included in the consolidation.

Will you be available by email for questions if things come up as we continue the application process? 
Yes, we encourage applicants to reach out to us if you have any questions about the application process or the program in general prior to the application deadline. For Program and application questions please email: VMLRP.Applications@usda.gov. For Loan, Financial, and Award Administration questions please email: VMLRP@usda.gov. 

Where is the service log template?
Participants are required to maintain business records that can be used to complete a service log in the event of an audit of a VMLRP participant's services and activities. If an audit is requested by the Program, the service log template will be provided and required to be submitted to the Program. It will be provided via their Box.com account.

Can you describe the type of service activities we can record on our service log?
The service log should address the Must-Serve species and location, and the required activities stated on the shortage nomination form for your service area. The activities that can be recorded are types of procedures or medical treatments (such as vaccination, deworming, fertility checks, regulatory testing), telehealth consultations, confirming data/data review, or presentations to producer groups, which includes presentation and preparation time. The program allows that for each hour of presentation time you are allotted a maximum of 2 hours of preparation time. 

If you perform ambulatory services on a premises the amount of service time recorded is from when you enter the premises where the veterinary services are provided to when you leave the premises and is not solely the time spent on treatments or procedures. Include all time you consult with the producer or farm staff to respond to questions while on the farm or facility which are related directly to animal health. 

“Windshield time” is allowed and is defined as the time it takes to travel to and from the premises where the services are provided. A total of 25% of your time commitment can be used for drive time or windshield time. For example, if you have an agreement to provide 50% Full Time Equivalent (FTE) services, you are required to provide 20 hours of service that aligns with your shortage nomination form per week. Of the 20 hours, you can account for up to 25% of that time as windshield time. This equates to 5 hours per week. 

What considerations are there for including "on-call time"?
VMLRP does not have time set aside for being on call or being available. We consider time of traveling to the farm, providing services, or providing telehealth over the phone as applicable to service time. We do not allocate FTE for on-call time. 

How does a Type III document their drive time?
Travel time is included for work that is regulatory or meets the description of the activities described on the shortage nomination form.  You should indicate the nature of your job that requires travel time and document that travel on your service log. 

When are the service verification forms required to be submitted? 

The Service Verification form is due quarterly, beginning at the end of the first 13-week period of the agreement. Your Grants Management Specialist will upload a form to your Box.com account and will notify you that the form is available with the due date for completion (15 calendar days after the end of the quarter). The Service Verification is required to be submitted each quarter throughout the agreement period. Quarterly Loan Repayments will not be made until the form is completed and signed. 

How long after the service period is up can we expect to potentially be audited for our service period? Do we need to continue filling out a service log for the year after our contract ends? 

You are only obligated to maintain records while you are under contract. After your contract ends, you are required to retain service records for a period of 1 year and provide them to VMLRP staff upon request. 

What other data/documents will we need to have available for review?
Other documents are:

• Quarterly proof of loan payments received
• Proof of tax payments made

• Service verification forms 

   

Do the counties that we serve that are not included in our designated shortage are count towards service?
No. The nomination form submitted by the SAHO defines which areas are listed as priority needs. You can document the counties identified outside the designated shortage nomination area however that time will not be counted towards your %FTE. 

Some of my dairy herds have barns on either side of the county line (cows, heifers, dry cows, calves, etc.). Will this be an issue when it comes to my service hours?
This will not affect your service hours. Record the county of the producer’s headquarters or location that is in your service area jurisdiction. VMLRP cannot give you credit if you record hours in areas that are entirely outside of the service area you are required to serve as listed on the shortage nomination form. 

As a Type III awardee, it is my job to attend meetings, attend the annual USAHA meeting all week, and meet with colleagues. Aside from Covid-19, for continuing education (CE), would this time be allowable on my service log?
VMLRP provides a continuing education allowance for licensing which is prorated based on your %FTE. Licensure is not required for all Type III positions. However, if attending events or conferences is part of your position or job requirements as described by the SAHO, you may include those hours in your service log.

Will our service logs need to be signed off by our supervisor?
No, the service logs do not require your supervisor’s signature. 

How much time can you count for a continuing education (CE) event? If you are presenting at a continuing education event can you record the time it takes to prepare for the presentation?
VMLRP allows for a percentage of continuing education (CE) hours to be counted toward service time. The average CE hours required by states to maintain veterinary licensure is 15 hours per year. CE hours are therefore determined with the following calculation: %FTE multiplied by 15 hours. If presenting at a CE event, VMLRP allows for 2 hours for preparation for each 1 hour of presentation to be recorded on your service log. The title or description of the presentation must be included. 

For example, if you have a 50% FTE service agreement, 50% FTE x 15 hours (Average CE) = 7.5 continuing education hours allowed per year.
 

Say we have some student loans (for example, the Loan for Disadvantaged Students & Health Professionals) that we have been making minimum payments on during the contract. What do we do if these loans will be paid off before the end of our contract?
Please contact us at VMLRP@usda.gov 30 days before your loan is paid off to speak with our awards administration and our financial staff to work with you on options moving forward. 

Food animal work varies season to season in mixed animal practice where I am located. Some weeks I have little food animals/equine work and others it’s all I do. Is the time averaged across the quarter?
Within a quarter we will look at the variation for balance, but ultimately you will need to meet the hours and service requirements for each quarter.

When we record time to the farm, is it round trip time?
Windshield/Drive time is the time it takes to travel from the clinic to the farm or home base (for a mobile clinic), or from one farm to another farm and then back to the clinic or home base.

What happens if an audit reveals that the hours are not being met to fulfill the shortage situation as indicated in nomination form?
We will collaborate with our policy and finance team to determine options. Start conversations with VMLRP staff early, e.g., if you see this as an issue at the beginning of a quarter, then contact program staff at the beginning of the quarter. Do not wait to meet with program staff until the end of a quarter if you see the issue arise in the first few weeks. Each awardee situation is unique, and it is best to communicate with our VMLRP team as early as possible. Our goal is to work with you to get the issue resolved before it escalates.

Would you include equine as service commitment? Can you define work horses?
Horses are considered farm animals for services that support agricultural activities, for example, service animals in preparation of crops, supporting beef operations, or other farm-related activities. 

What percentage of time should go towards must cover species compared to may cover species?
The Full Time Equivalent (FTE) is the number of working hours representing one full-time employee during a fixed working time. For the VMLRP, this equates to a 40-hour work week. This determination recognizes not all food animal species require the same level of services year-round, and a veterinarian may need the flexibility to provide services to other species during an "off season" to meet their percentage FTE. Any challenges with fulfilling these requirements need to be discussed with the VMLRP as soon as they are discovered to avoid a breach of agreement. The goal for Must Serve species is approximately 50% with all other food animal species fulfilling the other 50% of agreement service time. 

What about teaching or working with veterinarians or veterinary tech students? If they are learning about food animals?
VMLRP encourages participants to work with veterinary technician and veterinary students but ask that you do that within your practice. You cannot set aside hours for special instruction for them but having them present when you are providing service for food animals is highly encouraged. We do not allow service hour credit or extra time for having veterinary technicians or veterinary students, or high school students, ride along with you. You will receive  credit for windshield time for the driving, but it does not count as “extra time” for just having them there with you.

I have field techs that execute my procedures (poultry vaccinations, regulatory swabbing, testing, etc.) under my standing orders and under my license/jurisdiction. This seems like reasonable included time. Is this officially included?
If you are not providing the services yourself, it does not count for your time.

I'm assuming veterinary student interactions, advising, and mentoring can be counted as service hours for Type III if it was in the position description?
Yes, if that is included in the shortage nomination description.

Should I assume that I can log my equine/llama/alpaca work that is marked as other under “may cover” even though the box isn’t checked?
Yes, include all species that are written in the “Other” category even though unmarked.

How do we address vacation time off on a service log?
The Program requires that an awardee fulfill their obligation for the number of hours contracted within each quarter. This means that, although an awardee may take leave, and a veterinarian’s employer may provide paid leave, the VMLRP still expects an awardee to fully execute all required hours per quarter.