VIN Foundation: Veterinary Pulse

Listen in as we talk with VIN Foundation Mike Dunn, DVM Veterinary Student Scholarship awardee Walter Baker. Walter shares insights and advice from his first year in veterinary school, and what he is looking forward to as he starts his second year.    As always, we want to hear from YOU. Please share your thoughts by sending an email or joining the conversation.   GUEST BIO: Walter Baker Walter has been devoted to becoming a veterinarian since seventh grade, and took all of the animal science courses  that were available to him throughout my grade school education. He attended the University of Kentucky for his undergraduate education, and received a Bachelor of Science in animal sciences. As a current second year at Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine, he was fortunate to secure the Kentucky residents’ in-state institution. Walter was one of two recipients of the inaugural Mike Dunn, DVM Veterinary Student Scholarship created by Becky Godchaux. Walter’s goal is to return to rural Kentucky to practice general mixed-animal medicine. LINKS AND INFORMATION: Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine: https://www.vetmed.auburn.edu/ Veterinary Information Network (VIN) 3D Anatomy: https://www.vin.com/3danatomy Cornell Merlin App: https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/ Do you like this podcast and want to hear additional stories? The VIN Foundation needs your help supporting this program: https://vinfoundation.org/give Get updates to stay tuned for the VIN Foundation webinars on student debt.  You may learn more about the VIN Foundation, on the website, or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. 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!

Listen in with student debt experts and Board Member Drs. Tony Bartels and Rebecca Mears in this next installment of our Student Debt Series covering the One Big Beautiful Bill impact on student loans. In this episode we have seven major topics we’re addressing: SAVE forbearance zero-interest ending Updates for current veterinary students those starting and returning to vet school Pre-veterinary students applying for 2026/2027 year 2025 veterinary graduates whose grace period is ending RAP (Repayment Assistance Program) Phase out of existing programs Where things stand with PSLF (Public Service Loan Forgiveness)   As always, we want to hear from YOU. Please share your thoughts by sending an email or joining the conversation.     GUEST BIOS: Dr. Tony Bartels Tony Bartels, DVM, MBA graduated in 2012 from the Colorado State University combined MBA/DVM program and is a VIN Foundation Board Member and Student Debt Expert, and an employee of the Veterinary Information Network (VIN). He and his wife, a small-animal internal medicine specialist practicing in Denver, have more than $400,000 in veterinary-school debt that they manage using federal income-driven repayment plans. By necessity (and now obsession), his professional activities include researching and speaking on veterinary-student debt, providing guidance to colleagues on loan-repayment strategies and contributing to VIN Foundation resources. Beyond debt, his professional interests include small- and exotic-animal practice. When he’s not staring holes into his colleagues’ student-loan data, Tony enjoys fly fishing, ice hockey, camping and exploring Colorado with his wife, Audra, daughter, Lucy, and their two rescued canines, Addi and Maggie. Dr. Rebecca Mears Rebecca Mears, DVM is from Lexington, KY, and a graduate of University of Georgia’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Rebecca started her career as an equine general practitioner and is an active AAEP member, currently serving as a member of the AAEP DEI Committee. Her interest in student debt education began with keeping her own education costs lower and grew from there. This was supported by her involvement in the Veterinary Business Management Association (VBMA), which she now gives back to as a National Advisor. In her time away from veterinary medicine, she can be found obsessing over plants and hosting impromptu dance parties. She is passionate about giving back to the profession and improving the lives of veterinarians, pre-vet and vet students.    LINKS AND INFORMATION: Check your current student loan servicers and other loan details -- VIN Foundation My Student Loans tool: http://www.vinfoundation.org/mystudentloans Loan Repayment Simulator: https://vinfoundation.org/loansim  VIN Foundation WikiDebt: https://vinfoundation.org/wikidebt VIN Foundation Webinars: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/webinars/ VIN Foundation get updates: https://vinfoundation.org/updates/ VIN Foundation GIVE page to support these programs & tools: https://vinfoundation.org/give Vet School Bound Future Veterinary Student Loan Changes: https://vetschoolbound.org/future-veterinary-student-loan-changes/ VIN Foundation Blog, Related Student Debt Blog posts:  Changes to federal student loans come into focus: https://vinfoundation.org/changes-federal-student-loans-come-into-focus/ Student Loan Repayment: Trying to leave the SAVE forbearance? Choose PAYE: https://vinfoundation.org/student-loan-repayment-trying-to-leave-the-save-forbearance-choose-paye/  Student Loans in SAVE Plan Will Start Accruing Interest August 1st: https://vinfoundation.org/student-loans-in-save-plan-will-start-accruing-interest-august-1st/  Application for Federal Income-Driven Repayment Plans Reactivated: https://vinfoundation.org/application-for-income-driven-repayment-plans-reactivated/  Personalized student loan Help from VIN and VIN Foundation: https://vinfoundation.org/veterinary-student-loan-debt-help/  Income-Driven Repayment Plan Discretionary income calculations, WikiDebt: https://www.vin.com/studentdebtcenter/default.aspx?pid=14352&catId=74141&id=7249857  Federal Student Aid Data, Consolidation, and Repayment Applications: https://studentaid.gov/ One-time Forgiveness Count Adjustment  https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/idr-account-adjustment Federal Student Loan Servicers: https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/servicers Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF): https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service Have a veterinary story you want to share? https://share.hsforms.com/1e6QkQvg2RI-wpDv59Byqkwcos60 Stay up to date with VIN Foundation updates: https://vinfoundation.org/updates/ Email VIN Foundation: studentdebt@vinfoundation.org Get updates to stay tuned for the VIN Foundation webinars on student debt.  You may learn more about the VIN Foundation, on the website, or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. 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!

Listen in with student debt experts and Board Member Drs. Tony Bartels and Rebecca Mears in this next installment of our Student Debt Series. In this episode we have three major topics we’re addressing: 1) a new challenge for the almost new grads 2) New Grad Playbook webinar and 3) the latest student loan updates.   As always, we want to hear from YOU. Please share your thoughts by sending an email or joining the conversation.     GUEST BIOS: Dr. Tony Bartels Tony Bartels, DVM, MBA graduated in 2012 from the Colorado State University combined MBA/DVM program and is a VIN Foundation Board Member and Student Debt Expert, and an employee of the Veterinary Information Network (VIN). He and his wife, a small-animal internal medicine specialist practicing in Denver, have more than $400,000 in veterinary-school debt that they manage using federal income-driven repayment plans. By necessity (and now obsession), his professional activities include researching and speaking on veterinary-student debt, providing guidance to colleagues on loan-repayment strategies and contributing to VIN Foundation resources. Beyond debt, his professional interests include small- and exotic-animal practice. When he’s not staring holes into his colleagues’ student-loan data, Tony enjoys fly fishing, ice hockey, camping and exploring Colorado with his wife, Audra, daughter, Lucy, and their two rescued canines, Addi and Maggie. Dr. Rebecca Mears Rebecca Mears, DVM is from Lexington, KY, and a graduate of University of Georgia’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Rebecca started her career as an equine general practitioner and is an active AAEP member, currently serving as a member of the AAEP DEI Committee. Her interest in student debt education began with keeping her own education costs lower and grew from there. This was supported by her involvement in the Veterinary Business Management Association (VBMA), which she now gives back to as a National Advisor. In her time away from veterinary medicine, she can be found obsessing over plants and hosting impromptu dance parties. She is passionate about giving back to the profession and improving the lives of veterinarians, pre-vet and vet students.    LINKS AND INFORMATION: VIN Foundation Student Debt Center: https://vinfoundation.org/studentdebtcenter Check your current student loan servicers and other loan details -- VIN Foundation My Student Loans tool: http://www.vinfoundation.org/mystudentloans Loan Repayment Simulator: https://vinfoundation.org/loansim  VIN Foundation WikiDebt: https://vinfoundation.org/wikidebt VIN Foundation Webinars: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/webinars/ VIN Foundation get updates: https://vinfoundation.org/updates/ VIN Foundation GIVE page to support these programs & tools: https://vinfoundation.org/give Debt Repayment Prep Challenge: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/veterinary-student-debt/debt-repayment-prep-challenge/  May 7th webinar - New Graduate Student Loan Playbook: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/veterinary-new-grad-student-loan-repayment-playbook/ VIN Foundation Blog, Related Student Debt Blog posts:  Application for Federal Income-Driven Repayment Plans Reactivated: https://vinfoundation.org/application-for-income-driven-repayment-plans-reactivated/  Personalized student loan Help from VIN and VIN Foundation: https://vinfoundation.org/veterinary-student-loan-debt-help/  Income-Driven Repayment Plan Discretionary income calculations, WikiDebt: https://www.vin.com/studentdebtcenter/default.aspx?pid=14352&catId=74141&id=7249857  New Grad Student Loan Repayment Playbook: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/veterinary-new-grad-student-loan-repayment-playbook/  Borrow Better: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/borrow-better-veterinary-school-loan-debt/  Federal Student Aid Data, Consolidation, and Repayment Applications: https://studentaid.gov/ One-time Forgiveness Count Adjustment  https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/idr-account-adjustment Federal Student Loan Servicers: https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/servicers Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF): https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service Have a veterinary story you want to share? https://share.hsforms.com/1e6QkQvg2RI-wpDv59Byqkwcos60 Stay up to date with VIN Foundation updates: https://vinfoundation.org/updates/ Email VIN Foundation: studentdebt@vinfoundation.org Get updates to stay tuned for the VIN Foundation webinars on student debt.  You may learn more about the VIN Foundation, on the website, or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. 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!

Listen in with VIN Foundation board member and Student Debt Education lead Dr. Tony Bartels in this next installment of our Student Debt Series. In this episode we’re covering the latest news on income-driven repayment application changes    Topics covered included: What happened to the Income-Driven Repayment application? If borrowers are using an income-driven payment plan right now, what should they do? How do these changes impact monthly payments for borrowers? How about borrowers who are hoping for PSLF? How do the recent changes impact them? What’s the best approach for borrowers when dealing with loan servicers?   As always, we want to hear from YOU. Please share your thoughts by sending an email or joining the conversation.     NOTE: This is an ongoing situation, for continued updates visit the VIN Foundation Blog and student debt message board areas.   GUEST BIO: Dr. Tony Bartels Tony Bartels, DVM, MBA graduated in 2012 from the Colorado State University combined MBA/DVM program and is a VIN Foundation Board Member and Student Debt Expert, and an employee of the Veterinary Information Network (VIN). He and his wife, a small-animal internal medicine specialist practicing in Denver, have more than $400,000 in veterinary-school debt that they manage using federal income-driven repayment plans. By necessity (and now obsession), his professional activities include researching and speaking on veterinary-student debt, providing guidance to colleagues on loan-repayment strategies and contributing to VIN Foundation resources. Beyond debt, his professional interests include small- and exotic-animal practice. When he’s not staring holes into his colleagues’ student-loan data, Tony enjoys fly fishing, ice hockey, camping and exploring Colorado with his wife, Audra, daughter, Lucy, and their two rescued canines, Addi and Maggie.   LINKS AND INFORMATION: VIN Foundation Student Debt Center: https://vinfoundation.org/studentdebtcenter Time for your student loan physical exam? VIN Foundation My Student Loans tool http://www.vinfoundation.org/mystudentloans VIN Foundation Download My IDR Progress Google Chrome extension to help you grab a copy of your IDR forgiveness progress VIN Foundation Blog, most recent: All IDR applications for student loans are paused – Now what? February 2025 Q&A from Climbing Mt. Debt Webinar: What’s Next for your Student Loans? VIN Foundation Navigating Uncertainty Checklist, what you can do now: https://vinfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/VIN-Foundation-What-You-Can-Do-Now-Navigating-Student-Loan-Uncertainty.pdf Climbing Mt. Debt webinar: What’s Next for Your Student Loans? by VIN and VIN Foundation, February 5th, 2025: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/repay-wiser-veterinary-school-debt-loan-repayment/#MostRecentWebinar  VIN Foundation Relevant WikiDebt Resources: IDR Profiles: What is your IDR profile? IDR Discretionary income calculations Personalized student loan help from VIN and VIN Foundation: https://vinfoundation.org/veterinary-student-loan-debt-help/  Department of Education Updates on Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE Plan):  https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/save-court-actions https://www.ed.gov/save https://studentaid.gov/  VIN Foundation get updates: https://vinfoundation.org/updates/ VIN Foundation GIVE page to support programs these programs & tools: https://vinfoundation.org/give Have a veterinary story you want to share? https://share.hsforms.com/1e6QkQvg2RI-wpDv59Byqkwcos60 Stay up to date with VIN Foundation updates: https://vinfoundation.org/updates/ Email VIN Foundation: studentdebt@vinfoundation.org 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!

Listen in with student debt expert and Board Member Dr. Tony Bartels in this next installment of our Student Debt Series. In this episode we’re covering the latest news on student loans as we close out 2024 and start 2025.    Topics covered included: December 18, 2024 US Department of Education announcement on Pay As Your Earn (PAYE) and Income Contingent Repayment (ICR) Timeframes/features and additional information about PAYE and ICR Income Driven Repayment (IDR) profiles What this latest news means for the Save On Valuable Education (SAVE) plan  Where things stand on the One-time Forgiveness Adjustment Additional helpful information for borrowers   As always, we want to hear from YOU. Please share your thoughts by sending an email or joining the conversation.     NOTE: This is an ongoing situation, for continued updates visit the VIN Foundation Blog and student debt message board areas. GUEST BIO: Dr. Tony Bartels Tony Bartels, DVM, MBA graduated in 2012 from the Colorado State University combined MBA/DVM program and is a VIN Foundation Board Member and Student Debt Expert, and an employee of the Veterinary Information Network (VIN). He and his wife, a small-animal internal medicine specialist practicing in Denver, have more than $400,000 in veterinary-school debt that they manage using federal income-driven repayment plans. By necessity (and now obsession), his professional activities include researching and speaking on veterinary-student debt, providing guidance to colleagues on loan-repayment strategies and contributing to VIN Foundation resources. Beyond debt, his professional interests include small- and exotic-animal practice. When he’s not staring holes into his colleagues’ student-loan data, Tony enjoys fly fishing, ice hockey, camping and exploring Colorado with his wife, Audra, daughter, Lucy, and their two rescued canines, Addi and Maggie. LINKS AND INFORMATION:   VIN Foundation Student Debt Center: https://vinfoundation.org/studentdebtcenter Check your current student loan servicers and other loan details -- VIN Foundation My Student Loans tool: http://www.vinfoundation.org/mystudentloans VIN Foundation IDR Profiles: WikiDebt - IDR Eligibility Loan Repayment Simulator: https://vinfoundation.org/loansim  VIN Foundation WikiDebt: https://vinfoundation.org/wikidebt VIN Foundation get updates: https://vinfoundation.org/updates/ VIN Foundation GIVE page to support programs these programs & tools: https://vinfoundation.org/give VIN Foundation Blog, Related Student Debt Blog posts:  PAYE and ICR income-driven repayment plans temporarily reactivated https://vinfoundation.org/paye-and-icr-income-driven-repayment-plans-temporarily-reactivated/ The election is over. Change is on the horizon. What is next for your student loans? https://vinfoundation.org/the-election-is-over-change-is-on-the-horizon-what-is-next-for-your-student-loans/ Student Loan FAQs and What’s Next? https://vinfoundation.org/september-2024-student-loan-update-faqs-and-whats-next/ SAVE is blocked. What does that mean for your student loans?: https://vinfoundation.org/save-recent-court-rulings/  Choosing between PAYE and SAVE income-driven plans: Are you in The Pickle? https://vinfoundation.org/choosing-between-paye-and-save-income-driven-plans-are-you-in-the-pickle/ A ‘new’ income-driven repayment plan? https://vinfoundation.org/a-new-income-driven-repayment-plan/  Personalized student loan Help from VIN and VIN Foundation: https://vinfoundation.org/veterinary-student-loan-debt-help/  Income-Driven Repayment Plan Discretionary income calculations, WikiDebt: https://www.vin.com/studentdebtcenter/default.aspx?pid=14352&catId=74141&id=7249857  Federal Student Aid Data, Consolidation, and Repayment Applications: https://studentaid.gov/ Department of Education Updates on Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE Plan): https://www.ed.gov/save  SAVE Plan Court Actions: Impact on Borrowers: https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/save-court-actions  Have a veterinary story you want to share? https://share.hsforms.com/1e6QkQvg2RI-wpDv59Byqkwcos60 Stay up to date with VIN Foundation updates: https://vinfoundation.org/updates/ Email VIN Foundation: studentdebt@vinfoundation.org Get updates to stay tuned for the VIN Foundation webinars on student debt.  You may learn more about the VIN Foundation, on the website, or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. 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!

Listen in as we talk with VIN Foundation board member, Dr. Jan Bellows as he shares the story of his veterinary journey. From lessons learned in practice ownership, to a passion for improving his veterinary skills, this episode is full of relatable stories and great takeaways.    As always, we want to hear from YOU. Please share your thoughts by sending an email or joining the conversation.   GUEST BIO: Jan Bellows, DVM, DIPL, AVDC, ABVP Dr. Jan Bellows is a distinguished veterinary dentist with a remarkable career spanning several decades. He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Florida and earned his DVM from Auburn University in 1975. After an internship at The Animal Medical Center in New York City, Dr. Bellows established ALL PETS DENTAL in Weston, Florida, specializing in companion animal medicine, surgery, and dentistry. Bellows is board-certified in Canine and Feline Medicine (ABVP) and Veterinary Dentistry (AVDC). His leadership roles include serving as president of the American Veterinary Dental College and the Foundation for Veterinary Dentistry. He has authored five dental textbooks and frequently contributed to veterinary publications. As a respected expert, Dr. Bellows was instrumental in developing AAHA's Small Animal Dental Guidelines. He has been a consultant for the Veterinary Information Network's dental board since 1993. DVM360 announced Dr. Bellows as the national 2024 Dental Hero by DVM360 magazine. Outside of his professional life, Dr. Bellows is an avid marathon runner and enjoys spending time with his family and dogs in Florida and Colorado. LINKS AND INFORMATION: Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine: https://www.vetmed.auburn.edu/ Veterinary Information Network (VIN): https://www.vin.com Paul Pion, DVM, DipACVIM: https://vinfoundation.org/team VIN Foundation 2024 Year-End Giving, after a huge effort the $100k match was made, but we still need your help! https://vinfoundation.org/give   Have a story you want to share with our podcast audience? Reach out to share your interest: https://share.hsforms.com/1e6QkQvg2RI-wpDv59Byqkwcos60 Get updates to stay tuned for the VIN Foundation webinars on student debt.  You may learn more about the VIN Foundation, on the website, or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. 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!

Listen in with student debt experts and Board Member Drs. Tony Bartels and Rebecca Mears in this next installment of our Student Debt Series. In this episode we’re covering the latest news on the student loans as it relates to the outcome of the recent presidential election. As always, we want to hear from YOU. Please share your thoughts by sending an email or joining the conversation.   NOTE: This is an ongoing situation, for continued updates visit the VIN Foundation Blog and student debt message board areas. GUEST BIOS: Dr. Tony Bartels Tony Bartels, DVM, MBA graduated in 2012 from the Colorado State University combined MBA/DVM program and is a VIN Foundation Board Member and Student Debt Expert, and an employee of the Veterinary Information Network (VIN). He and his wife, a small-animal internal medicine specialist practicing in Denver, have more than $400,000 in veterinary-school debt that they manage using federal income-driven repayment plans. By necessity (and now obsession), his professional activities include researching and speaking on veterinary-student debt, providing guidance to colleagues on loan-repayment strategies and contributing to VIN Foundation resources. Beyond debt, his professional interests include small- and exotic-animal practice. When he’s not staring holes into his colleagues’ student-loan data, Tony enjoys fly fishing, ice hockey, camping and exploring Colorado with his wife, Audra, daughter, Lucy, and their two rescued canines, Addi and Maggie. Dr. Rebecca Mears Rebecca Mears, DVM is from Lexington, KY, and a graduate of University of Georgia’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Rebecca started her career as an equine general practitioner and is an active AAEP member, currently serving as a member of the AAEP DEI Committee. Her interest in student debt education began with keeping her own education costs lower and grew from there. This was supported by her involvement in the Veterinary Business Management Association (VBMA), which she now gives back to as a National Advisor. In her time away from veterinary medicine, she can be found obsessing over plants and hosting impromptu dance parties. She is passionate about giving back to the profession and improving the lives of veterinarians, pre-vet and vet students.    LINKS AND INFORMATION:   VIN Foundation Student Debt Center: https://vinfoundation.org/studentdebtcenter It’s time for a good student loan “physical exam” using the  VIN Foundation My Student Loans tool: http://www.vinfoundation.org/mystudentloans Loan Repayment Simulator: https://vinfoundation.org/loansim  VIN Foundation WikiDebt: https://vinfoundation.org/wikidebt VIN Foundation GIVE page to support these programs & tools: https://vinfoundation.org/give VIN Foundation Blog, Related Student Debt Blog posts:  Veterinarians in Repayment:SAVE is blocked. What does that mean for your student loans?: https://vinfoundation.org/save-recent-court-rulings/  September 2024 Student Loan Update: FAQs and What’s Next?: https://vinfoundation.org/september-2024-student-loan-update-faqs-and-whats-next/ Veterinary Students Borrowing: Student Loan Interest Rates: New high for 2024-2025 Academic Year: https://vinfoundation.org/student-loan-interest-rates-for-veterinary-school/ Borrow Better resources: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/borrow-better-veterinary-school-loan-debt/ Student Loan Borrow Better Challenge Message Board: https://www.vin.com/doc/?Id=9385101&DocumentID=12266931&SAId=1   Personalized student loan Help from VIN and VIN Foundation: https://vinfoundation.org/veterinary-student-loan-debt-help/  Federal Student Aid Data, Consolidation, and Repayment Applications: https://studentaid.gov/ Department of Education Updates on Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE Plan): https://www.ed.gov/save  SAVE Plan Court Actions: Impact on Borrowers: https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/save-court-actions  Have a veterinary story you want to share? https://share.hsforms.com/1e6QkQvg2RI-wpDv59Byqkwcos60 Stay up to date with VIN Foundation updates: https://vinfoundation.org/updates/ Email VIN Foundation: studentdebt@vinfoundation.org   Get updates to stay tuned for the VIN Foundation webinars on student debt.  You may learn more about the VIN Foundation, on the website, or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. 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!

Listen in as we talk with VIN Foundation board member, Dr. Sean Gadson as he takes us through his veterinary career journey. From Sean’s passion for diversity, equity and inclusion, to his mom’s advice and the importance of mentors, to his ongoing effort to impress his 7 year-old self, his recommendations for pre-veterinary students, and the trends he sees in the profession. Sean’s story and honesty is enriching and provides helpful guidance and insight for colleagues at all stages of their careers.   As always, we want to hear from YOU. Please share your thoughts by sending an email or joining the conversation.   GUEST BIO: Sean Gadson, DVM, MS Sean Gadson has enjoyed a long career working in veterinary medicine starting as an assistant when he was fourteen. He would continue working in various clinics and veterinary organizations while pursuing his undergraduate and master’s degrees. After completing a research project and writing a thesis on Polycystic Ovary Syndrome in people, he applied to UC Davis for vet school and graduated in 2021. During his time as a student Dr. Gadson served as president of the UC Davis SAVMA chapter, and Vice- President of their VBMA chapter. After graduation, he completed an intensive rotating small animal specialty internship where he cultivated a passion for emergency medicine. He now works as an emergency veterinarian in Colorado with his wife Mollie who is a surgeon, and their dog Ahri. His interests include supporting other early career veterinarians, mentoring pre-vet students, practice ownership, traveling and speaking to students currently in vet school, and advocating for more minority representation in the veterinary industry.   LINKS AND INFORMATION: Student American Veterinary Medical Association (SAVMA): https://www.avma.org/membership/SAVMA Veterinary Business Management Association (VBMA): https://vbma.biz/ VIN Foundation Vets4Vets® confidential wellness support: https://vinfoundation.org/v4v Mike Dunn, DVM Veterinary Student Scholarship created by Becky Godchaux: https://vinfoundation.org/scholarship Veterinary Information Network (VIN): https://www.vin.com/vin/ Mentor - Dr. James Clark: https://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/faculty/james-clark Mentor - Dr. Paul D. Pion: https://www.vin.com/vin/default.aspx?pid=130&meta=13137&id=8108348 Ask Jeeves: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ask.com Kajukenbo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kajukenbo Dr. Sean Gadson on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sean-gadson and on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gadustoedvm/ If you enjoy these stories, please consider donating to the VIN Foundation to help us continue this work. https://vinfoundation.org/give Have a story you want to share with our podcast audience? Reach out to share your interest: https://share.hsforms.com/1e6QkQvg2RI-wpDv59Byqkwcos60 Get updates to stay tuned for the VIN Foundation webinars on student debt.  You may learn more about the VIN Foundation, on the website, or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. If you like this podcast, we would appreciate it if you follow and share. As always, we welcome feedback. 

Listen in as we talk with VIN Foundation board member Dr. Trae Cutchin as he shares his story of ongoing perseverance. Trae shares his personal experience coming out of the closet as a gay man with the fear of legal implications, to finding himself dealing with an unexpected addiction and the road to recovery, to the trials and tribulations of owning a veterinary practice and coming out the other side of a cancer diagnosis. Trae’s story will touch your heart and highlight the common threads we experience as humans, working on ourselves and trying to be better in all the roles in our lives.    *Trigger warning* a quick heads up, some of the content in today’s episode may include a trigger as it relates to substance abuse disorder.   As always, we want to hear from YOU. Please share your thoughts by sending an email or join the conversation.       GUEST BIO: Trae Cutchin, DVM Trae Cutchin, DVM, is a 1988 graduate of the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine, is originally from Alabama. He has worked as a regular veterinary associate in full services hospitals, in a feline only practice for four years, and as an emergency room clinician for three years. For several years he operated his own relief service in the metro Atlanta area, and then opened his own full service practice in Flowery Branch, a bedroom community just north of metro Atlanta in 2006. He is married to his partner of twenty-five years and has two step kids and three step grandchildren. He has two dogs, Turbo and Shelley, and three cats, Mightie, Tessa, and Sushi. When he isn't working as a veterinarian, he spends a lot of time working in his lawn and gardens. He is involved with the Veterinary Information Network as a VIN Representative and as a mentor in the VIN Virtual Veterinary Internship program as a mentor. LINKS AND INFORMATION:   Virtual Veterinary Internship: https://www.vin.com/AppUtil/Project/DefaultAdv1.aspx?pid=26071 VIN Foundation Vets4Vets®: https://vinfoundation.org/v4v VIN Foundation Start Up Club: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/veterinary-practice-start-up-club/ Kirk’s Current Veterinary Therapy Book: https://www.amazon.com/Kirks-Current-Veterinary-Therapy-XV/dp/1437726895 If you enjoy these stories, please consider donating to the VIN Foundation to help us continue this work. https://vinfoundation.org/give Get updates to stay tuned for the VIN Foundation webinars on student debt.  You may learn more about the VIN Foundation, on the website, or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. 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!

Listen in with student debt experts and Board Member Drs. Tony Bartels and Rebecca Mears in this next installment of our Student Debt Series. In this episode we’re covering the latest news on the SAVE plan, the recent court rulings, what new grads should focus on now, and the best next steps based on the available student loan repayment plans.    As always, we want to hear from YOU. Please share your thoughts by sending an email or joining the conversation.     NOTE: This is an ongoing situation, for continued updates visit the VIN Foundation Blog and student debt message board areas. GUEST BIOS: Dr. Tony Bartels Tony Bartels, DVM, MBA graduated in 2012 from the Colorado State University combined MBA/DVM program and is a VIN Foundation Board Member and Student Debt Expert, and an employee of the Veterinary Information Network (VIN). He and his wife, a small-animal internal medicine specialist practicing in Denver, have more than $400,000 in veterinary-school debt that they manage using federal income-driven repayment plans. By necessity (and now obsession), his professional activities include researching and speaking on veterinary-student debt, providing guidance to colleagues on loan-repayment strategies and contributing to VIN Foundation resources. Beyond debt, his professional interests include small- and exotic-animal practice. When he’s not staring holes into his colleagues’ student-loan data, Tony enjoys fly fishing, ice hockey, camping and exploring Colorado with his wife, Audra, daughter, Lucy, and their two rescued canines, Addi and Maggie. Dr. Rebecca Mears Rebecca Mears, DVM is from Lexington, KY, and a graduate of University of Georgia’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Rebecca started her career as an equine general practitioner and is an active AAEP member, currently serving as a member of the AAEP DEI Committee. Her interest in student debt education began with keeping her own education costs lower and grew from there. This was supported by her involvement in the Veterinary Business Management Association (VBMA), which she now gives back to as a National Advisor. In her time away from veterinary medicine, she can be found obsessing over plants and hosting impromptu dance parties. She is passionate about giving back to the profession and improving the lives of veterinarians, pre-vet and vet students.    LINKS AND INFORMATION:   VIN Foundation Student Debt Center: https://vinfoundation.org/studentdebtcenter Check your current student loan servicers and other loan details -- VIN Foundation My Student Loans tool: http://www.vinfoundation.org/mystudentloans Loan Repayment Simulator: https://vinfoundation.org/loansim  VIN Foundation WikiDebt: https://vinfoundation.org/wikidebt VIN Foundation get updates: https://vinfoundation.org/updates/ VIN Foundation GIVE page to support these programs & tools: https://vinfoundation.org/give VIN Foundation Blog, Related Student Debt Blog posts:  SAVE is blocked. What does that mean for your student loans?: https://vinfoundation.org/save-recent-court-rulings/  2024 Graduating Veterinarians: Special Student Loan Timing Considerations: https://vinfoundation.org/2024-graduating-veterinarians-special-student-loan-timing-consideration-are-you-in-pickle/ Choosing between PAYE and SAVE income-driven plans: Are you in The Pickle?: https://vinfoundation.org/choosing-between-paye-and-save-income-driven-plans-are-you-in-the-pickle/ A ‘new’ income-driven repayment plan? https://vinfoundation.org/a-new-income-driven-repayment-plan/  Personalized student loan Help from VIN and VIN Foundation: https://vinfoundation.org/veterinary-student-loan-debt-help/  Income-Driven Repayment Plan Discretionary income calculations, WikiDebt: https://www.vin.com/studentdebtcenter/default.aspx?pid=14352&catId=74141&id=7249857  Federal Student Aid Data, Consolidation, and Repayment Applications: https://studentaid.gov/ Department of Education Updates on Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE Plan): https://www.ed.gov/save  SAVE Plan Court Actions: Impact on Borrowers: https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/save-court-actions  SAVE Repayment Plan Offers Lower Monthly Loan Payments https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/save-plan Have a veterinary story you want to share? https://share.hsforms.com/1e6QkQvg2RI-wpDv59Byqkwcos60 Stay up to date with VIN Foundation updates: https://vinfoundation.org/updates/ Email VIN Foundation: studentdebt@vinfoundation.org   Get updates to stay tuned for the VIN Foundation webinars on student debt.  Have a story you would like to share on the podcast? Submit your story idea.  You may learn more about the VIN Foundation, on the website, or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. 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!  

Listen in as we talk with recent veterinary graduate Dr. Alexia Mazzarella, as she shares the pros and cons of starting veterinary school during COVID, and the benefits she has experienced from a non-typical veterinary path.    This episode covers how she managed to learn anatomy online, became fast friends with a roommate, and then finding out she didn’t have the necessary educational knowledge for the NAVLE. Alexia takes us inside her journey as a leader in her class, and finding her way to overcome struggles.    As always, we want to hear from YOU. Please share your thoughts by sending an email or joining the conversation.   GUEST BIO: Alexia Mazzarella, DVM, cVMA Alexia graduated from Michigan State University this past May in the Class of 2024. While at MSU, she served as the 2024 Class President all four years and was very involved with SAVMA, serving on the Executive Board for 2 years as the Veterinary Economics Officer. It was through these experiences that she developed a passion for organized veterinary medicine and serving her community. Her veterinary interests include soft tissue and orthopedic surgery, acupuncture, rehab, and palliative care, especially for geriatric patients.  Her goals right now include a ABVP residency path and ultimately working in a high-volume General Practice setting. In her free time, Alexia loves checking out local gym classes, hiking, biking, kayaking, and visiting the local Farmer's Markets. Alexia just moved to Apex, NC with her fiancé  to start a rotating internship in July. She is excited to share her story with the VIN Foundation and hopes she can bring comfort to others who may have experienced similar circumstances!    LINKS AND INFORMATION: Student American Veterinary Medical Association (SAVMA): https://www.avma.org/membership/SAVMA Veterinary Business Management Association (VBMA): https://vbma.biz/ NAVLE VIN/VIN Foundation course: https://www.vin.com/navle VIN Foundation Vets4Vets®: https://vinfoundation.org/v4v   Get updates to stay tuned for the VIN Foundation webinars on student debt.  You may learn more about the VIN Foundation, on the website, or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. 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!

Listen in as student debt experts and Board Member Drs. Tony Bartels and Rebecca Mears in this next installment of our Student Debt Series. In this episode we’re covering three major topics: 1) Updates and how they impact new grads and not to new grads 2) PAYE and ICR phase outs 3) Bonus mention for a new proposal to cancel up to $20k. Now is the time to learn what you need to know going into the summer. As always, we want to hear from YOU. Please share your thoughts by sending an email or joining the conversation.   GUEST BIOS: Dr. Tony Bartels Tony Bartels, DVM, MBA graduated in 2012 from the Colorado State University combined MBA/DVM program and is a VIN Foundation Board Member and Student Debt Expert, and an employee of the Veterinary Information Network (VIN). He and his wife, a small-animal internal medicine specialist practicing in Denver, have more than $400,000 in veterinary-school debt that they manage using federal income-driven repayment plans. By necessity (and now obsession), his professional activities include researching and speaking on veterinary-student debt, providing guidance to colleagues on loan-repayment strategies and contributing to VIN Foundation resources. Beyond debt, his professional interests include small- and exotic-animal practice. When he’s not staring holes into his colleagues’ student-loan data, Tony enjoys fly fishing, ice hockey, camping and exploring Colorado with his wife, Audra, daughter, Lucy, and their two rescued canines, Addi and Maggie. Dr. Rebecca Mears Rebecca Mears, DVM is from Lexington, KY, and a graduate of University of Georgia’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Rebecca started her career as an equine general practitioner and is an active AAEP member, currently serving as a member of the AAEP DEI Committee. Her interest in student debt education began with keeping her own education costs lower and grew from there. This was supported by her involvement in the Veterinary Business Management Association (VBMA), which she now gives back to as a National Advisor. In her time away from veterinary medicine, she can be found obsessing over plants and hosting impromptu dance parties. She is passionate about giving back to the profession and improving the lives of veterinarians, pre-vet and vet students.    LINKS AND INFORMATION: VIN Foundation Student Debt Center: https://vinfoundation.org/studentdebtcenter Check your current student loan servicers and other loan details -- VIN Foundation My Student Loans tool: http://www.vinfoundation.org/mystudentloans Loan Repayment Simulator: https://vinfoundation.org/loansim  VIN Foundation WikiDebt: https://vinfoundation.org/wikidebt VIN Foundation Webinars: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/webinars/ VIN Foundation get updates: https://vinfoundation.org/updates/ VIN Foundation GIVE page to support these programs & tools: https://vinfoundation.org/give May 29th webinar - Repay Wiser: Interns & Residents: https://VIN.zoom.us/webinar/register/4917165695129/WN_4VaSKzkBQrqgqotb50G8cA VIN Foundation Blog, Related Student Debt Blog posts:  Identifying Federal Family Education Loans (FFELs) using VIN Foundation My Student Loans tool: https://vinfoundation.org/fed-student-loan-consolidation-faqs-questions-answers-considerations/ 2024 Graduating Veterinarians: Special Student Loan Timing Considerations: https://vinfoundation.org/2024-graduating-veterinarians-special-student-loan-timing-consideration-are-you-in-pickle/ Choosing between PAYE and SAVE income-driven plans: Are you in The Pickle?: https://vinfoundation.org/choosing-between-paye-and-save-income-driven-plans-are-you-in-the-pickle/ Veterinary student loan repayment: trends from the trenches: https://vinfoundation.org/youre-running-out-of-time-to-consolidate-your-loans/ A ‘new’ income-driven repayment plan? https://vinfoundation.org/a-new-income-driven-repayment-plan/  Student Loan FAQs: The one-time forgiveness count adjustment: https://vinfoundation.org/faq-one-time-forgiveness-count-adjustment/ Income-Driven Repayment: recertify, Switch plans, or Wait?: https://vinfoundation.org/income-driven-repayment-recertify-no-switch-plans-or-wait/ Got Federal Student Debt? You’re Now Closer to Forgiveness Than You Think: https://vinfoundation.org/got-federal-student-debt-youre-now-closer-to-forgiveness-than-you-think/ Student Loan FAQs: The one-time forgiveness count adjustment https://vinfoundation.org/faq-one-time-forgiveness-count-adjustment/ Personalized student loan Help from VIN and VIN Foundation: https://vinfoundation.org/veterinary-student-loan-debt-help/  Infographic ONE-TIME FORGIVENESS COUNT ADJUSTMENT: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/veterinary-student-debt/student-debt-one-time-forgiveness-count-adjustment/ One-Time Forgiveness Count Adjustment Video Case Study, 1999 DVM may save more than $65,000 in student loan costs: https://youtu.be/6gp7cXvEy8c Income-Driven Repayment Plan Discretionary income calculations, WikiDebt: https://www.vin.com/studentdebtcenter/default.aspx?pid=14352&catId=74141&id=7249857  Repay Wiser: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/repay-wiser-veterinary-school-debt-loan-repayment/ Borrow Better: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/borrow-better-veterinary-school-loan-debt/  New Grad Student Loan Repayment Playbook: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/veterinary-new-grad-student-loan-repayment-playbook/  Federal Student Aid Data, Consolidation, and Repayment Applications: https://studentaid.gov/ SAVE Repayment Plan Offers Lower Monthly Loan Payments https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/save-plan New Proposed Regulations Would Transform Income-Driven Repayment by Cutting Undergraduate Loan Payments in Half and Preventing Unpaid Interest Accumulation: https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/new-proposed-regulations-would-transform-income-driven-repayment-cutting-undergraduate-loan-payments-half-and-preventing-unpaid-interest-accumulation  Payment Count Adjustments Toward Income-Driven Repayment and Public Service Loan Forgiveness Programs: https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/idr-account-adjustment   Department of Education press release (Nov 2022):  https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/biden-harris-administration-continues-fight-student-debt-relief-millions-borrowers-extends-student-loan-repayment-pause    Department of Education press release (April 2022): https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/department-education-announces-actions-fix-longstanding-failures-student-loan-programs    One-time Forgiveness Count Adjustment  https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/idr-account-adjustment Federal Student Loan Servicers: https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/servicers Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF): https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service   Have a veterinary story you want to share? https://share.hsforms.com/1e6QkQvg2RI-wpDv59Byqkwcos60 Stay up to date with VIN Foundation updates: https://vinfoundation.org/updates/ Email VIN Foundation: studentdebt@vinfoundation.org Get updates to stay tuned for the VIN Foundation webinars on student debt.    You may learn more about the VIN Foundation, on the website, or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. 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!

Listen in as Dr. Jim Clark takes the time to share the story of his fascinating veterinary career path. From how he started his first practice, to the importance of listening to your colleagues, and how his path took him through multi-practice ownership and teaching at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine to his three-legged approach to success in the profession. Dr. Clark also spends the time to share his tips for veterinary colleagues who are interested in being independent practice owners, including a recommended timeline and the most important things to consider.    This episode has all the makings of how we as humans are a work in progress, and provides relatable insights into leadership, partnerships, finance, teaching, and a love for animals.   As always, we want to hear from YOU. Please share your thoughts by sending an email or joining the conversation.   GUEST BIO: Jim Clark, DVM, MBA U.C. Davis School of Veterinary Medicine Dr. Jim Clark is an animal lover, entrepreneur, multi-practice owner, clinician, and educator. After working in general and emergency practice for more than 20 years, earning an MBA, and serving as an owner in four ER/Spec practices, Clark joined the faculty of the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in 2010, assuming leadership of their Professional Skills curriculum. He currently provides instruction in communication, mental health, career planning, DEI, and business management skills.   LINKS AND INFORMATION: Veterinary Education and Communication Coaching: http://www.petpracticepartners.com/ VIN Foundation Start Up Club: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/veterinary-practice-start-up-club/ VIN Foundation Student Debt Education: https://vinfoundation.org/studentdebtcenter Get updates to stay tuned for the VIN Foundation webinars on student debt.  You may learn more about the VIN Foundation, on the website, or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. 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!

Listen in as student debt expert and Board Member Dr. Tony Bartels in this next installment of our Student Debt Series. This episode we covering the following 4 topics: Consolidation deadline extended Loan servicers continue to be terrible  Recertification dates The new SAVE plan Common mistakes made while using the Student Loan Repayment Simulator   As always, we want to hear from YOU. Please share your thoughts by sending an email or joining the conversation.   GUEST BIO: Dr. Tony Bartels Tony Bartels, DVM, MBA graduated in 2012 from the Colorado State University combined MBA/DVM program and is a VIN Foundation Board Member and Student Debt Expert, and an employee of the Veterinary Information Network (VIN). He and his wife, a small-animal internal medicine specialist practicing in Denver, have more than $400,000 in veterinary-school debt that they manage using federal income-driven repayment plans. By necessity (and now obsession), his professional activities include researching and speaking on veterinary-student debt, providing guidance to colleagues on loan-repayment strategies and contributing to VIN Foundation resources. Beyond debt, his professional interests include small- and exotic-animal practice. When he’s not staring holes into his colleagues’ student-loan data, Tony enjoys fly fishing, ice hockey, camping and exploring Colorado with his wife, Audra, daughter, Lucy, and their two rescued canines, Addi and Maggie. LINKS AND INFORMATION: VIN Foundation Student Debt Center: https://vinfoundation.org/studentdebtcenter Check your current student loan servicers and other loan details -- VIN Foundation My Student Loans tool: http://www.vinfoundation.org/mystudentloans Loan Repayment Simulator: https://vinfoundation.org/loansim  VIN Foundation WikiDebt: https://vinfoundation.org/wikidebt VIN Foundation Webinars: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/webinars/ VIN Foundation get updates: https://vinfoundation.org/updates/ VIN Foundation GIVE page to support these programs & tools: https://vinfoundation.org/give VIN Foundation Blog, Related Student Debt Blog posts:  Veterinary student loan repayment: trends from the trenches: https://vinfoundation.org/youre-running-out-of-time-to-consolidate-your-loans/ A ‘new’ income-driven repayment plan? https://vinfoundation.org/a-new-income-driven-repayment-plan/  Common Student Loan Consolidation Questions and Answers: https://vinfoundation.org/fed-student-loan-consolidation-faqs-questions-answers-considerations/ I have federal student loans. When do I need to recertify my income? https://vinfoundation.org/i-have-federal-student-loans-when-do-i-need-to-recertify-my-income/ Got Federal Student Debt? You’re Now Closer to Forgiveness Than You Think: https://vinfoundation.org/got-federal-student-debt-youre-now-closer-to-forgiveness-than-you-think/ Student Loan FAQs: The one-time forgiveness count adjustment https://vinfoundation.org/faq-one-time-forgiveness-count-adjustment/ Student Loan Forgiveness Planning: Preparing for the Tax Bill: https://vinfoundation.org/veterinary-student-loan-forgiveness-planning-preparing-for-the-tax-bill/  Personalized student loan Help from VIN and VIN Foundation: https://vinfoundation.org/veterinary-student-loan-debt-help/  Infographic ONE-TIME FORGIVENESS COUNT ADJUSTMENT: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/veterinary-student-debt/student-debt-one-time-forgiveness-count-adjustment/ One-Time Forgiveness Count Adjustment Video Case Study, 1999 DVM may save more than $65,000 in student loan costs: https://youtu.be/6gp7cXvEy8c Income-Driven Repayment Plan Discretionary income calculations, WikiDebt: https://www.vin.com/studentdebtcenter/default.aspx?pid=14352&catId=74141&id=7249857  Repay Wiser: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/repay-wiser-veterinary-school-debt-loan-repayment/ Borrow Better: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/borrow-better-veterinary-school-loan-debt/  New Grad Student Loan Repayment Playbook: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/veterinary-new-grad-student-loan-repayment-playbook/  Federal Student Aid Data, Consolidation, and Repayment Applications: https://studentaid.gov/ SAVE Repayment Plan Offers Lower Monthly Loan Payments https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/save-plan Loan Servicers Having Trouble: https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/us-department-education-announces-withholding-payment-student-loan-servicer-part-accountability-measures-harmed-borrowers https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/biden-harris-administration-takes-additional-action-hold-student-loan-servicers-accountable-failing-meet-contractual-obligations   One-time Forgiveness Count Adjustment  https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/idr-account-adjustment Federal Student Loan Servicers: https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/servicers Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF): https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service Stay up to date with VIN Foundation updates: https://vinfoundation.org/updates/ Email VIN Foundation: studentdebt@vinfoundation.org Get updates to stay tuned for the VIN Foundation webinars on student debt.  You may learn more about the VIN Foundation, on the website, or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, 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!

Listen in as student debt experts and Board Member Drs. Tony Bartels and Rebecca Mears in this next installment of our Student Debt Series. This episode we’re covering the top three trends from the trenches of student loans: 1) Consolidation procrastination 2) Using the wrong repayment plan 3) Incorrect minimum monthly payments. Now is the time to pay attention if you’ve had your head in the sand with your student loans, so listen in and also learn if you are in The Pickle!   As always, we want to hear from YOU. Please share your thoughts by sending an email or joining the conversation.   GUEST BIOS: Dr. Tony Bartels Tony Bartels, DVM, MBA graduated in 2012 from the Colorado State University combined MBA/DVM program and is a VIN Foundation Board Member and Student Debt Expert, and an employee of the Veterinary Information Network (VIN). He and his wife, a small-animal internal medicine specialist practicing in Denver, have more than $400,000 in veterinary-school debt that they manage using federal income-driven repayment plans. By necessity (and now obsession), his professional activities include researching and speaking on veterinary-student debt, providing guidance to colleagues on loan-repayment strategies and contributing to VIN Foundation resources. Beyond debt, his professional interests include small- and exotic-animal practice. When he’s not staring holes into his colleagues’ student-loan data, Tony enjoys fly fishing, ice hockey, camping and exploring Colorado with his wife, Audra, daughter, Lucy, and their two rescued canines, Addi and Maggie. Dr. Rebecca Mears Rebecca Mears, DVM is from Lexington, KY, where she completed her BS at University of Kentucky. She is a graduate of University of Georgia’s College of Veterinary Medicine. While in vet school, she served as the National Business Certificate Director for the Veterinary Business Management Association (VBMA) and as a board member for Vets for Pets and People. During this time she took an active role in wellbeing awareness and access within the veterinary community. Rebecca then worked as an equine general practitioner and is an active AAEP member. In her time away from veterinary medicine, she can be found hiking, baking, and hosting impromptu dance parties. She is passionate about giving back to the profession and improving the lives of veterinarians, pre-vet and vet students.    LINKS AND INFORMATION: VIN Foundation Student Debt Center: https://vinfoundation.org/studentdebtcenter Check your current student loan servicers and other loan details -- VIN Foundation My Student Loans tool: http://www.vinfoundation.org/mystudentloans Loan Repayment Simulator: https://vinfoundation.org/loansim  VIN Foundation WikiDebt: https://vinfoundation.org/wikidebt VIN Foundation Webinars: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/webinars/ VIN Foundation get updates: https://vinfoundation.org/updates/ VIN Foundation GIVE page to support these programs & tools: https://vinfoundation.org/give VIN Foundation Blog, Related Student Debt Blog posts:  Veterinary student loan repayment: trends from the trenches: https://vinfoundation.org/youre-running-out-of-time-to-consolidate-your-loans/ A ‘new’ income-driven repayment plan? https://vinfoundation.org/a-new-income-driven-repayment-plan/  Common Student Loan Consolidation Questions and Answers: https://vinfoundation.org/fed-student-loan-consolidation-faqs-questions-answers-considerations/ I have federal student loans. When do I need to recertify my income? https://vinfoundation.org/i-have-federal-student-loans-when-do-i-need-to-recertify-my-income/ Got Federal Student Debt? You’re Now Closer to Forgiveness Than You Think: https://vinfoundation.org/got-federal-student-debt-youre-now-closer-to-forgiveness-than-you-think/ Student Loan FAQs: The one-time forgiveness count adjustment https://vinfoundation.org/faq-one-time-forgiveness-count-adjustment/ Student Loan Forgiveness Planning: Preparing for the Tax Bill: https://vinfoundation.org/veterinary-student-loan-forgiveness-planning-preparing-for-the-tax-bill/  Personalized student loan Help from VIN and VIN Foundation: https://vinfoundation.org/veterinary-student-loan-debt-help/  Infographic ONE-TIME FORGIVENESS COUNT ADJUSTMENT: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/veterinary-student-debt/student-debt-one-time-forgiveness-count-adjustment/ One-Time Forgiveness Count Adjustment Video Case Study, 1999 DVM may save more than $65,000 in student loan costs: https://youtu.be/6gp7cXvEy8c Income-Driven Repayment Plan Discretionary income calculations, WikiDebt: https://www.vin.com/studentdebtcenter/default.aspx?pid=14352&catId=74141&id=7249857  Repay Wiser: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/repay-wiser-veterinary-school-debt-loan-repayment/ Borrow Better: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/borrow-better-veterinary-school-loan-debt/  New Grad Student Loan Repayment Playbook: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/veterinary-new-grad-student-loan-repayment-playbook/  Federal Student Aid Data, Consolidation, and Repayment Applications: https://studentaid.gov/ SAVE Repayment Plan Offers Lower Monthly Loan Payments https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/save-plan New Proposed Regulations Would Transform Income-Driven Repayment by Cutting Undergraduate Loan Payments in Half and Preventing Unpaid Interest Accumulation: https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/new-proposed-regulations-would-transform-income-driven-repayment-cutting-undergraduate-loan-payments-half-and-preventing-unpaid-interest-accumulation  Payment Count Adjustments Toward Income-Driven Repayment and Public Service Loan Forgiveness Programs: https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/idr-account-adjustment   Department of Education press release (Nov 2022):  https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/biden-harris-administration-continues-fight-student-debt-relief-millions-borrowers-extends-student-loan-repayment-pause    Department of Education press release (April 2022): https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/department-education-announces-actions-fix-longstanding-failures-student-loan-programs    One-time Forgiveness Count Adjustment  https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/idr-account-adjustment Federal Student Loan Servicers: https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/servicers Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF): https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service Stay up to date with VIN Foundation updates: https://vinfoundation.org/updates/ Email VIN Foundation: studentdebt@vinfoundation.org Get updates to stay tuned for the VIN Foundation webinars on student debt.  You may learn more about the VIN Foundation, on the website, or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, 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!

Animal lover Becky Godchaux shares how she came to create the veterinary student scholarship offering two new veterinary students up to $140,000 each for their DVM education. Listen in to learn what inspired her generosity, how animals have positively impacted her life, and how she views the important relationship between the animal, the client, and the veterinarian. This is a great episode for animal lovers who want to support a healthy animal community.    The VIN Foundation is honored to be the home of the Mike Dunn, DVM Veterinary Student Scholarship created by Becky Godchaux. Learn more about the scholarship in the link below.    LINKS AND INFORMATION: Veterinary Student Scholarship: https://vinfoundation.org/scholarship VIN Foundation get updates: https://vinfoundation.org/updates/ If you enjoy listening to this podcast and want to support these efforts, please consider making a donation to the VIN Foundation: https://vinfoundation.org/give. You may learn more about the VIN Foundation, on the website, or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn.

Listen in as student debt expert and Board Member Dr. Tony Bartels in this next installment of our Student Debt Series. This episode we’re going through the latest news from the Supreme Court, the Department of Education response, and what’s next for borrowers. Listen in to learn about the important dates coming up, and make sure to check out the links below to learn more.    As always, we want to hear from YOU. Please share your thoughts by sending an email or joining the conversation.   GUEST BIO: Dr. Tony Bartels Tony Bartels, DVM, MBA graduated in 2012 from the Colorado State University combined MBA/DVM program and is a VIN Foundation Board Member and Student Debt Expert, and an employee of the Veterinary Information Network (VIN). He and his wife, a small-animal internal medicine specialist practicing in Denver, have more than $400,000 in veterinary-school debt that they manage using federal income-driven repayment plans. By necessity (and now obsession), his professional activities include researching and speaking on veterinary-student debt, providing guidance to colleagues on loan-repayment strategies and contributing to VIN Foundation resources. Beyond debt, his professional interests include small- and exotic-animal practice. When he’s not staring holes into his colleagues’ student-loan data, Tony enjoys fly fishing, ice hockey, camping and exploring Colorado with his wife, Audra, daughter, Lucy, and their two rescued canines, Addi and Maggie. LINKS AND INFORMATION:   Get Student Debt Updates: https://vinfoundation.org/veterinary-student-debt-updates/ VIN Foundation Student Debt Tools: VIN Foundation Student Debt Center: https://vinfoundation.org/studentdebtcenter Check your current student loan servicers and other loan details -- VIN Foundation My Student Loans tool: http://www.vinfoundation.org/mystudentloans Loan Repayment Simulator: https://vinfoundation.org/loansim  VIN Foundation WikiDebt: https://vinfoundation.org/wikidebt Additional links: Personalized student loan Help from VIN and VIN Foundation: https://vinfoundation.org/veterinary-student-loan-debt-help/  Repay Wiser: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/repay-wiser-veterinary-school-debt-loan-repayment/ Borrow Better: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/borrow-better-veterinary-school-loan-debt/  New Grad Student Loan Repayment Playbook: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/veterinary-new-grad-student-loan-repayment-playbook/  Climbing Mt. Debt for Veterinary Interns and Residents: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/climbing-mt-debt-veterinary-intern-resident/ Federal Student Aid Data, Consolidation, and Repayment Application: https://studentaid.gov/ Saving on A Valuable Education (SAVE) replacing REPAYE: https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/save-plan Student Debt Relief Information: https://studentaid.gov/debt-relief-announcement/one-time-cancellation  One-time Forgiveness Count Adjustment  https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/idr-account-adjustment Federal Student Loan Servicers: https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/servicers Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF): https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service Stay up to date with VIN Foundation updates: https://vinfoundation.org/updates/ VIN Foundation GIVE page to support these programs & tools: https://vinfoundation.org/give Email VIN Foundation: studentdebt@vinfoundation.org   You may learn more about the VIN Foundation, on the website, or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, 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!

Listen in as Dr. Rebecca Mears from the VIN Foundation Student Debt Education Team shares her unorthodox path to veterinary medicine, the trends she is seeing in her work with veterinary students and student debt. Find out how a horse jockey and dinosaur fit into her story. As she says in the beginning, this episode is a fun ride!   GUEST BIO: Dr. Rebecca Mears Rebecca Mears, DVM is from Lexington, KY, where she completed her BS at University of Kentucky. She is a graduate of University of Georgia’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Rebecca has worked as an equine general practitioner and is an active AAEP member. She has been involved in the Veterinary Business Management Association (VBMA) since vet school and now as a co-advisor for the National VBMA. In her work with VIN and the VIN Foundation she has a primary focus on student debt education and is a member of the VIN Student Team. She is passionate about giving back to the profession and improving the lives of veterinarians, pre-vet and vet students. In her time away from veterinary medicine, she can be found hiking, baking, and hosting impromptu dance parties.    LINKS AND INFORMATION: VIN Foundation Student Debt Center: https://vinfoundation.org/studentdebtcenter VIN Students: https://www.vin.com/students VBMA: https://vbma.biz/ Vets for Pets and People: https://news.uga.edu/vets-for-pets-and-people/  Check your current student loan servicers and other loan details -- VIN Foundation My Student Loans tool: http://www.vinfoundation.org/mystudentloans Loan Repayment Simulator: https://vinfoundation.org/loansim  VIN Foundation WikiDebt: https://vinfoundation.org/wikidebt VIN Foundation Webinars: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/webinars/ VIN Foundation get updates: https://vinfoundation.org/updates/ VIN Foundation GIVE page to support these programs & tools: https://vinfoundation.org/give   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!

Listen in as VIN Foundation Vets4Vets® team member Dr. Susan Cohen dives deep on perfectionism. She covers how to identify it in ourselves and/or others, how it impacts veterinary teams, and helpful tools to decrease the self-torment. Learn how to move toward enjoying the good stuff, and find out what a bliss list is and how it can be motivational. Check the links below to download a copy of Susan’s Bliss List example.    GUEST BIO: Dr. Susan Cohen  Susan P. Cohen, DSW, ACSW 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 Bliss list example: https://vinfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/VINFoundation-Veterinary-Pulse-Episode-157-Dr.-Susan-Cohen-on-Perfectionism-Bliss-List-example.pdf Red Shoes Syndrome podcast: https://vinfoundation.org/are-you-caring-too-much-red-shoe-syndrome-with-dr-susan-cohen/ Wabi Sabi: ​​https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wabi-sabi Nine Signs Your Perfectionism is Out of Control: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/telltale-signs-your-perfectionism-out-control-dr-travis-bradberry/ 14 Signs Your Perfectionism Has Gotten Out of Control: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/why-perfectionism-is-ruin_n_4212069   Quotes mentioned in the episode: Brene Brown: “Perfectionism is the belief that if we live perfect, look perfect, and act perfect, we can minimize or avoid the pain of blame, judgment, and shame.” Fred Astaire: “Do it big, do it right, and do it with style.”   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 leave a review, subscribe/follow and share. As always, we welcome feedback. If you have an idea for a podcast episode, we’d love to hear it!

Listen in as student debt expert and Board Member Dr. Tony Bartels and student debt team member Dr. Rebecca Mears in this next installment of our Student Debt Series. This episode we’re going through the current hot list of student debt topics the team is hearing from colleagues and a to-do list of what borrowers need to do now.    Hot List: Did you finish vet school before 2014? - You may have privately-held FFELs.  Consolidate and benefit from the one-time forgiveness count adjustment Do you have loans that have been in repayment longer than you've been using income-driven repayment? - Consolidate and benefit from the one-time forgiveness count adjustment. Are you eligible for PAYE? Are you using PAYE? - Make sure you find out before PAYE is phased out! Did you make any payments before the pandemic forbearance benefits began, March 13, 2020? - Request a refund before the benefits end! Do you know when your income-driven repayment renewal date is? Hint - it's not until sometime after January 2024, at least. Use the My Student Loans tool to see your "Anniversary Date" and start planning your post-forbearance strategy. Married? Have you been filing your taxes separately from your spouse recently because of your student debt? - You can amend recent prior year tax returns from separate to joint! We covered this in a recent Dear Dr. Debt column. Visit with your accountant to see if you can get a refund. Graduating veterinary school in 2023? Congratulations! Did you miss the New Grad Student Loan Repayment Playbook webinar? - Here is a link to the playbook recording, slides, and checklist.   Honorable mentions (coming soon): Most unpaid interest capitalization is going away starting July 1, 2023 One-time forgiveness count adjustments will be applied in 2024 (or sooner if you are due forgiveness) The Supreme Court will rule on the special cancellation benefits this summer Interest and payments are likely starting up later this summer, possibly after August 2023   As always, we want to hear from YOU. Please share your thoughts by sending an email or joining the conversation.   GUEST BIOS: Dr. Tony Bartels Tony Bartels, DVM, MBA graduated in 2012 from the Colorado State University combined MBA/DVM program and is a VIN Foundation Board Member and Student Debt Expert, and an employee of the Veterinary Information Network (VIN). He and his wife, a small-animal internal medicine specialist practicing in Denver, have more than $400,000 in veterinary-school debt that they manage using federal income-driven repayment plans. By necessity (and now obsession), his professional activities include researching and speaking on veterinary-student debt, providing guidance to colleagues on loan-repayment strategies and contributing to VIN Foundation resources. Beyond debt, his professional interests include small- and exotic-animal practice. When he’s not staring holes into his colleagues’ student-loan data, Tony enjoys fly fishing, ice hockey, camping and exploring Colorado with his wife, Audra, and their two rescued canines, Addi and Maggie.   Dr. Rebecca Mears Rebecca Mears, DVM is from Lexington, KY, where she completed her BS at University of Kentucky. She is a graduate of University of Georgia’s College of Veterinary Medicine. While in vet school, she served as the National Business Certificate Director for the Veterinary Business Management Association (VBMA) and as a board member for Vets for Pets and People. During this time she took an active role in wellbeing awareness and access within the veterinary community. Rebecca then worked as an equine general practitioner and is an active AAEP member. In her time away from veterinary medicine, she can be found hiking, baking, and hosting impromptu dance parties. She is passionate about giving back to the profession and improving the lives of veterinarians, pre-vet and vet students.  LINKS AND INFORMATION: Get Student Debt Updates: https://vinfoundation.org/veterinary-student-debt-updates/ VIN Foundation Student Debt Tools: VIN Foundation Student Debt Center: https://vinfoundation.org/studentdebtcenter Check your current student loan servicers and other loan details -- VIN Foundation My Student Loans tool: http://www.vinfoundation.org/mystudentloans Loan Repayment Simulator: https://vinfoundation.org/loansim  VIN Foundation WikiDebt: https://vinfoundation.org/wikidebt Additional links: Personalized student loan Help from VIN and VIN Foundation: https://vinfoundation.org/veterinary-student-loan-debt-help/  Repay Wiser: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/repay-wiser-veterinary-school-debt-loan-repayment/ Borrow Better: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/borrow-better-veterinary-school-loan-debt/  New Grad Student Loan Repayment Playbook: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/veterinary-new-grad-student-loan-repayment-playbook/  Federal Student Aid Data, Consolidation, and Repayment Application: https://studentaid.gov/ New Proposed Regulations Would Transform Income-Driven Repayment by Cutting Undergraduate Loan Payments in Half and Preventing Unpaid Interest Accumulation: https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/new-proposed-regulations-would-transform-income-driven-repayment-cutting-undergraduate-loan-payments-half-and-preventing-unpaid-interest-accumulation  Student Debt Relief Information: https://studentaid.gov/debt-relief-announcement/one-time-cancellation  Department of Education press release (Nov 2022):  https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/biden-harris-administration-continues-fight-student-debt-relief-millions-borrowers-extends-student-loan-repayment-pause  Department of Education press release (April 2022): https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/department-education-announces-actions-fix-longstanding-failures-student-loan-programs  One-time Forgiveness Count Adjustment  https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/idr-account-adjustment Federal Student Loan Servicers: https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/servicers Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF): https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service Stay up to date with VIN Foundation updates: https://vinfoundation.org/updates/ VIN Foundation GIVE page to support these programs & tools: https://vinfoundation.org/give Email VIN Foundation: studentdebt@vinfoundation.org   You may learn more about the VIN Foundation, on the website, or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, 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!