The federal Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP) reopened for the fiscal year 2026 (FY26) cycle on January 13, 2026, when the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) posted the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) and the list of designated 2026 veterinary shortage situations. The program returns with expanded funding, new guidance and evaluation criteria for first-time and renewal applicants, and a substantially larger award ceiling of up to $40,000 per year for 3 years to repay student loan debt, plus tax-assistance payments equal to 39% of the loan repayment amount (that’s $15,600 per year in tax help and $46,800 across 3 years), for a total maximum value of $166,800 on a 3-year contract.

Image Credit: © NIKCOA | stock.adobe.com

If you’re applying this cycle, the Letter of Intent (LOI) is due February 19, 2026, and the application window closes March 5, 2026. NIFA expects to notify applicants of final funding decisions by September 30, 2026, with award effective dates beginning January 1, 2027.

Not sure where to start? Check out the FAQs below

The VMLRP resumed after an almost 1-year hiatus with an increase in funding to approximately $18 million (an $8 million carryover from FY25 plus $10 million new FY26 funds), updated applicant guidance and evaluation criteria, and a higher award ceiling. NIFA is also using the FY25-identified shortage situations (243 shortages across 46 states) for the FY26 cycle.

Awarded participants may receive up to $40,000 per year (student loan repayment) for a standard 3-year service agreement. This adds up to a $120,000 total loan repayment plus tax-assistance payments equal to 39% of the total repayment. That’s $15,600 per year in tax help and $46,800 across 3 years, for a maximum combined value of $166,800.

Are applications open now, and what are the key dates?

Yes. The 2026 cycle opened January 13, 2026. The LOI deadline is February 19, 2026, and the application deadline is March 5, 2026. Applicants will be notified of funding decisions by September 30, 2026, and the effective award date is January 1, 2027.

Basic FY26 eligibility includes: a DVM (or equivalent) from an American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education–accredited veterinary college, a minimum of $15,000 in eligible student loan debt, and the ability to accept employment in a designated veterinary shortage situation listed for FY26. Read the FY26 NOFO for full eligibility language and any additional requirements.

What types of applicants can apply (new vs renewal)?

New applications are for veterinarians who have never received a VMLRP award or previous awardees who are beyond the first year after their award expired and who wish to serve in a different shortage situation. New applicants must apply to a shortage situation active in the fiscal year they apply.

Renewal applications are for veterinarians who are in the last year of a current VMLRP agreement or in the first year after it ended. Specifically, awardees with start dates of January 1, 2022, 2023, or 2024, may apply to renew their original shortage situation using their original shortage situation ID.

How were shortage areas determined for FY26?

For FY26, NIFA will use the shortage situations identified in fall 2024 (the FY25 nominations). That listing includes a record 243 veterinary shortage situations across 46 states and territories. Use NIFA’s shortage situation map/list to confirm that your intended practice location matches a designated area before applying.

How will FY26 funding be prioritized across practice types?

Approximately 90% of FY26 funding will go to vets in private practice working with food-animal cases (large-animal vets in 2 shortage categories). The other approximately 10% is reserved for vets in public health, specialty, or other non–private practice roles.

Begin early. Prepare the LOI per the FY26 instructions; download and complete all required application PDFs from the NOFO page; compile lender statements documenting eligible debt; obtain employer/placement verification tied to the posted shortage situation code; and gather any supporting materials the NOFO requests. NIFA also provides a loan documentation tutorial and will announce a technical assistance webinar for applicants.

Selection is competitive. Historically, the program averages approximately 150 applications and approximately 90 awards per year. NIFA’s FY24 report and prior cycles show that award rates vary by applicant cohort. For example, award rates differ by years post graduation. FY26 competition will depend on the applicant pool and available funds.

Where do I send the LOI, and who can I contact with questions?

The FY26 LOI must be emailed to VMLRP.applications@USDA.gov. For application questions, email VMLRP.applications@USDA.gov. For loan/award administration or program details, use the contacts listed on NIFA’s VMLRP pages. Watch NIFA’s site for the technical assistance webinar announcement.

https://www.nifa.usda.gov/grants/programs/veterinary-medicine-loan-repayment-program

VMLRP Notice of Funding Opportunity (FY26 NOFO):

https://www.nifa.usda.gov/grants/programs/veterinary-medicine-loan-repayment-program/vmlrp-notice-of-funding-opportunity-nofo

VMLRP applicants page (links to forms, maps, tutorials):

https://www.nifa.usda.gov/grants/programs/veterinary-medicine-loan-repayment-program/vmlrp-applicants

https://www.nifa.usda.gov/grants/programs/veterinary-medicine-loan-repayment-program/vmlrp-required-application-forms

https://www.nifa.usda.gov/grants/programs/veterinary-medicine-loan-repayment-program/vmlrp-frequently-asked-questions

https://www.nifa.usda.gov/grants/programs/veterinary-medicine-loan-repayment-program/vmlrp-news-timeline

Larkin M. Applications open for federal Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program. American Veterinary Medical Association. January 22, 2026. Accessed January 22, 2026. 

https://www.avma.org/news/applications-open-federal-veterinary-medicine-loan-repayment-program

National Institute of Food and Agriculture. 

Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program

. US Department of Agriculture; 2025. Accessed January 22, 2026. 

https://www.nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2025-05/FY2024AnnualReport%20VMLRP%20FINAL_remediated.pdf

Articles

Practical FAQs explaining who qualifies for the USDA Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program, how much it pays, the application timeline, and where to find application materials.

How the USDA Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program works

Christina Gentry, DVM, DACVD, discusses how veterinary practitioners can work with these specialists and learn more about dermatology.

Partnering with dermatologists

What is a key consideration about concurrent endocrine and dermatological disease? Christina Gentry, DVM, DACVM, clinical assistant professor at the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences in College Station, Texas, provides information for general practitioners in a 

 interview recorded at the 2026 Veterinary Meeting & Expo (VMX) in Orlando, Florida. Gentry presented a series of lectures at VMX, hosted by the North American Veterinary Community, on dermatological topics that included education on dental radiographs.

Understanding concurrent endocrine and dermatology conditions

The following is a transcript of the interview portion shown in the video:

What should other veterinary professionals know about dermatologists?

 Dermatologists, in general, are here to help you. We are a specialty that loves to talk about our specialty and loves to educate. And [dermatology] is ever-changing, right? We have new drugs coming out every few years. We change our minds about how long we should treat bacterial pyoderma based on new information. So it is a lot of information to keep up with, but we're here to help. We want to be referral partners for our [general practitioners] and our community.

There are several really awesome dermatologists [who] have platforms online where they do podcasts, webinars, and CE [continuing education] series. So if you want to learn more about dermatology, I really encourage you to check out some of the online offerings that other dermatologists have and go to as much [dermatology] CE as you can.

Considering endocrine disease with a skin condition

For more industry news and coverage of VMX, visit 

Videos

Marine Gastineau/peopleimages.com/stock.adobe.com

The FDA announced earlier today that it has granted full approval to potassium bromide chewable tablets (KBroVet; Pegasus Laboratories) for controlling seizures in canine patients with idiopathic epilepsy. These tablets are administered orally daily and are only available by prescription due to the professional veterinary expertise required to diagnose idiopathic epilepsy and to monitor for safe use and any adverse reactions to the medication.

For patients with idiopathic epilepsy, it is important that clients work closely with their veterinary team to monitor clinical signs to help avoid bromide intoxication, which can occur when high levels of bromide overwhelm the nervous system. The FDA also warned clients that it is important to avoid abrupt changes in their dog’s diet if they are receiving potassium bromide because it could raise safety concerns or compromise seizure control. 

Patients with severe bromide intoxication may present with following

Weakness or partial loss of movement in the hind limbs

In January 2021, these potassium bromide chewable tablets received conditional approval, making them the first drug conditionally approved under the FDA’s expanded conditional approval authority for certain new animal drugs that are not intended for a minor use or minor species (expanded conditional approval).

 The expanded conditional approval allows for conditional approval of treatment options that are intended to address a serious or life-threatening condition or disease, or meet an unmet health need, but which demonstrate effectiveness would require complex or particularly difficult studies. The potassium bromide chewable tablets met the criteria for expanded conditional approval because, at the time, there were no approved or marketed drugs for idiopathic epilepsy, which affects 5% of the population and is a serious condition that can be life-threatening. 

Products that receive conditional approval are valid for 1 year and have potential for up to 4 annual renewals. Within this time frame, the animal drug sponsor must demonstrate active progress toward substantial evidence of effectiveness to receive full approval. The animal drug sponsor has 5 years from the date of conditional approval to obtain full approval from the FDA, or the drug can no longer be marketed. 

If a patient has bromide overdose, which can happen if the patient ingests too much of their own medication, they could present with the following symptoms:

In severe ingestion cases, it can result in a coma

After 4 annual renewals, the drug’s sponsor, Pegasus Laboratories, generated the required effectiveness data to support full approval.

Idiopathic epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures that have no identifiable underlying cause. Although their cause is unknown, a genetic cause is known in some breeds and suspected in others. For dogs with idiopathic epilepsy, they typically begin between 6 months and 6 years of age, with a median age of onset of 2.5 years.

 How often they have seizures can vary widely, with some experiencing them daily and some possibly going weeks, months, or even years without any seizure activity.

Epilepsy is more common in purebred dogs, including beagles, border collies, cocker spaniels, Labrador retrievers, golden retrievers, and more. Additionally, males are more predisposed to idiopathic epilepsy than females.

FDA grants full approval of a drug to control seizures in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy. News release. FDA. January 21, 2026. Accessed January 21, 2026. 

https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/cvm-updates/fda-grants-full-approval-drug-control-seizures-dogs-idiopathic-epilepsy?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

Timpe H, Perkins K. Bromide medications. Pet Poison Helpline. Accessed January 21, 2026. 

https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/pet-owner-blog/bromide-medications-what-to-expect-if-your-pet-accidentally-ingests-to-much-of-this-medication/

Idiopathic epilepsy in dogs. Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. Updated April 2025. Accessed January 21, 2026. 

https://www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/riney-canine-health-center/canine-health-topics/idiopathic-epilepsy-dogs

The FDA has approved potassium bromide chewable tablets (KBroVet) for managing canine idiopathic epilepsy.

FDA grants full approval for canine idiopathic epilepsy medication

7 Dental decisions that can improve senior patient outcomes

Dental disease is one of the most common and most undertreated conditions in veterinary medicine, especially in senior patients. Chronic oral inflammation affects more than the mouth and may contribute to systemic disease and accelerated aging. In this slideshow, veterinary dentist Heidi Lobprise, DVM, DAVDC, shares practical guidance on when to extract versus preserve teeth, how to talk to clients about oral health, and why appropriate dental care under general anesthesia can significantly improve patient comfort and overall health.

How to decide when dental extraction improves senior pet health

7 tips for senior pet dentistry

“Sometimes the biggest reason you feel exhausted at the end of the day has nothing to do with how much you're doing,” says Jennifer Edwards, DVM, ACC, CPC, ELI-MP, in this episode of The Resilient Vet: Mind and Body Strategies for Success.

Five signs you’re operating in catabolic energy (and don’t know it)

The Resilient Vet Podcast: Mind and Body Strategies for Success

, hosts Aaron Shaw, OTR/L, CHT, CSCS, and Jennifer Edwards, DVM, ACC, CPC, ELI-MP, discuss the impact of catabolic energy on veterinary teams. Edwards explains that the exhaustion many veterinary professionals feel is often tied less to their workload and more to the breaking-down, draining nature of catabolic energy. Although useful for short-term survival, this state becomes a primary driver of burnout when it becomes a long-term default.

 When you think about your days, did you know that sometimes the biggest reason you feel exhausted at the end of the day has nothing to do with how much you're doing? It’s actually the energy that you are bringing to your day—the energy in which you are performing your tasks.

 Great point. This is something that you talk about all the time, so I’m interested to hear more about it, especially for those on the vet teams who feel stretched really thin. I think that there are a lot of vets and vet teams [who] are super strung out on their wits' end right now. So, Jennifer, for people who don't know this term, what exactly is catabolic energy, and how can someone tell when they're actually in this state?

Catabolic energy is something that we all experience. It is the energy that is associated with some of the more unpleasant emotions that we experience. A lot of people call it "negative energy," and I don't like to use that term because it's actually not negative. All the different emotions and energies [or] feelings that we experience are useful and helpful at certain times.

But in general, catabolic energy—just like catabolic hormones or catabolic enzymes—has more of a breaking-down effect. It’s draining. It doesn't feel good. And in the long term, it is not going to be associated with a great deal of productivity, success, good relationships, or feeling good in any way. So when we feel contracted or reactive—we want to fight, we're competitive, we're feeling sad or disengaged, resigned—all of that is catabolic energy. It is…in some forms, the nervous system trying to protect us. It’s survival mode. Again, in the short term, it can have really big benefits, which is surprising to some people, but it is not a good long-term strategy.

Transcript has been lightly edited for clarity.

Podcasts

“Sometimes the biggest reason you feel exhausted at the end of the day has nothing to do with how much you're doing,” Jennifer Edwards, DVM, ACC, CPC, ELI-MP, said in this episode of The Resilient Vet: Mind and Body Strategies for Success.

The American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia (ACVAA) Board of Directors approved the ACVAA Fellowship in Pain Management for individuals and programs interested in advancing the specialty focus throughout veterinary practice. Over the years, according to Lauren Duffee, VMD, DACVAA, CVA, chair of the ACVAA Board of Directors, the demand for advanced pain management has been widespread.

The goal of this new fellowship is to train veterinary specialists from diverse backgrounds, including neurology, sports medicine, and surgery, with advanced expertise in pain management. This fellowship will provide potential fellows with a rigorous, specialty-level credential recognized by the ACVAA. It is open to anyone who has completed residency training but has not yet obtained board certification. However, they cannot obtain the title of fellow until completing their specialty requirements.

“Graduates of the ACVAA Pain [Management] Fellowship will serve as leaders and resources within the veterinary community, advocating for comprehensive pain management strategies and educating others on the latest advancements in the field. Fellows will gain extensive knowledge of pain physiology and the mechanisms underlying acute and chronic pain, along with an advanced understanding of the pharmacology of analgesic medications across all drug classes,” the ACCVA Pain Fellowship Guidelines stated.

The framework for the fellowship will provide a formal, uniform pathway to recognize veterinarians with advanced expertise in interventional techniques, long-term pain management, pain physiology, and pharmacology. The ACVAA established guidelines for pain management fellowship programs, like college-sponsored programs, and includes the following

A minimum 36-week period of clinical duty under direct supervision by a founding fellow

Publication, as first author, on at least 2 hypothesis-driven projects, quality improvement studies, or meta-analyses, and 1 case report or case series on the topic of pain or pain management in a peer-reviewed journal

Maintain a detailed case log documenting inpatient and outpatient pain management, advanced interventional procedures, and locoregional

Complete a formal review and defense of the fellow’s clinical experience, scholarly work, and overall training at the conclusion of the program

Selected fellows will receive experience and training in the management of adaptive and maladaptive pain in both hospital and at-home settings, and they will gain an understanding of the pharmacology of analgesic medications across all drug classes and proficiency in pain scoring methods.

 The fellows will also have acute and chronic pain management experience, advanced procedures such as joint injection, epidural catheter placement, neuronal ablation, and more.

At this time, the ACVAA board approved 20 founding fellows and will continue to accept applications for the leadership cohort through July 1, 2027. Founding fellows will make up the fellowship committee and will serve as mentors to the accepted fellows and as leaders in the field.

"Clinically, specialists and general practitioners alike are increasingly encountering patients with complex acute and chronic pain that extends well beyond perioperative analgesia,” Duffe explained to the American Veterinary Medical Association.

“These include trauma patients, oncology cases, neurologic disease, osteoarthritis, and other degenerative or inflammatory conditions where pain is often the primary driver of morbidity and, in some cases, euthanasia decisions. At the same time, clients now expect more comprehensive and humane pain control for their animals, both in hospital and at home.” 

The ACVAA has plans to announce the approved fellowship programs later this year.

ACVAA fellowship in pain management. American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia. Accessed January 21, 2026. 

https://acvaa.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/ACVAA-Pain-Fellowship-Guidelines.pdf

ACVAA establishes framework for pain management fellowship. News release. American Veterinary Medical Association. January 16, 2026. Accessed January 21, 2026. 

https://www.avma.org/news/acvaa-establishes-framework-pain-management-fellowship?utm_source=delivra&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=todays-headlines-news

ACVAA launches a new Pain Management Fellowship, enhancing veterinary specialists' expertise in pain control and advancing comprehensive care strategies.