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VIN Foundation: Veterinary Pulse

VIN Foundation: Veterinary Pulse

By: vinfoundation
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 The heartbeat of the veterinary profession. Join us as we talk with veterinary colleagues about critical topics from student debt to mental health. And share stories, stories connect us… as humans, as animals, as a veterinary community.Copyright 2005 - 2023 All rights reserved. Economics Management Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • Scholarship awardee Walter Baker shares insights from his first year of veterinary school

    Scholarship awardee Walter Baker shares insights from his first year of veterinary school
    Sep 10 2025

    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!
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    22 mins
  • Drs. Tony Bartels and Rebecca Mears on the One Big Beautiful Bill impact on student loans

    Drs. Tony Bartels and Rebecca Mears on the One Big Beautiful Bill impact on student loans
    Jul 21 2025
    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 endingUpdates for current veterinary students those starting and returning to vet schoolPre-veterinary students applying for 2026/2027 year2025 veterinary graduates whose grace period is endingRAP (Repayment Assistance Program)Phase out of existing programsWhere 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 ...
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    43 mins
  • Drs. Tony Bartels and Rebecca Mears on the latest student debt news and new grad challenge

    Drs. Tony Bartels and Rebecca Mears on the latest student debt news and new grad challenge
    Apr 22 2025
    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!
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    31 mins
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