I was driving home from my work at the veterinary school here in Madison, today, wondering how I'd ever pay off my student loans. Statistics today indicate that the average veterinary student graduates with a loan debt of $80,000.
Imagine my surprise(and horror) when I pulled my mail from the box and there, right on top, was a glossy postcard from the US ARMY offering me "unique veterinary experience". On the front was a picture of an enormous quarterhorse being gently groomed by a smiling young woman in her Army Uniform. Ahhh, the winds of fate!
Eagerly, I read the fine print on the back! If I joined up, "the Health Professions Loan Repayment Program" would offer me "up to" $50,000 for student loans over three years. This amount could be combined with "Special Pay Incentives" (I shudder to think what those might be...) of up to $30,000. "Your student loan debt will quickly become a memory". Ahh, how seductive!
But wait, there's more!!! This part sounds COOL: "Whether treating military animals, rebuilding veterinary infrastructure (Iraqi Vet Clinics perhaps?), or eradicating disease V, your service as a veterinarian in the Army Reserve will broaden your skills amd distinguish you among your peers. In fact, it could be some of the most rewarding work you've ever performed" Wowie!
Well, maybe they'll come out with an Army Veterinarian GI Joe action figure. One can only hope......
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3 comments:
Outrageous.
I want to go to veterinarian school now!
Maybe the person who wrote this was a well meaning Army employee who was concerned by recent reports of poor treatment of our vets at Walter Reed Hospital.
Another thing that disturbs me is the dwindling of government-subsidized loans. So the main option for subsidized loans becomes-------the military!
It's also stunned me to realize that pets in this country probably get better health care than the majority of the people in the world. Probably better than Walter Reed. Some people might say that pets are a "luxury". I don't think so. They give people lots and lots of joy. What this information does is to challenge us to do way better on health care for people rather than spending money on ways to kill them.
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