Federal Loan Shake-Up Could Spell Trouble For Veterinarians
Changes to one of the largest loan servicing companies in the U.S could hit veterinary graduates hard as pandemic student loan forbearance comes to a close.
FedLoan, operated by the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, is the servicer for 25% of the U.S federal student loan borrowers. It has recently announced that it would be withdrawing from the student loan servicing business from December 14th.
Whilst this may appear to be good news, the timing of the pullout could result in numerous errors as loans are moved from one servicer to another. This could be troublesome for veterinarians- many of which have had to take loans out to cover their training fees.
When asked by Vin News what borrowers could expect when FedLoan leaves, the U.S Department of Education told the outlet that:
‘Although FedLoan’s current contract expires in December 2021, the company has agreed to continue working with Federal Student Aid (FSA) until all of its accounts — those of borrowers participating in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program and those who are not — are successfully transferred to another servicer. Currently, FSA is focused on transferring non-PSLF borrower accounts to Edfinancial, MOHELA, Navient, and Nelnet. FSA will continue to update information for borrowers at StudentAid.gov/fedloan.’
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A Profession Pays Their Respects to Veterinary Leader Dr. James H. Brandt
Professionals from across the U.S have paid their respects to the former president of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), Dr. James H. Brandt, who died on the 25th of October, 2021.
Dr. Brandt sat as president between 2001-02, leading the profession during a particularly volatile time.
‘When we acknowledge and discuss leadership in the Florida VMA, the AVMA, and the world, we always end the conversation with leadership by example. There was no greater example than Dr. James Brandt,’ said Dr. Richard Sutliff, the Florida Veterinary Medical Association (FVMA) president.
In addition to his wife and son, Dr. Brandt is survived by his three grandchildren, his sister, and his two brothers.
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Veterinary Service Provider Labels UK’s New Vet Recruitment Rules as ‘Catastrophic’
Stricter rules on veterinary recruitment have been labeled as ‘catastrophic’ by the UK’s largest veterinary meat inspector provider, Eville & Jones.
The company recently criticized the RCVS’s decision to relax the language requirements veterinary professionals need to enter the UK. They claimed that it was not significant enough to persuade potential employees to enter the market.
Eville & Jones chief executive Charles Hartwell said:
‘We need more vets to come through the education system, which takes five years, and an easier process for EU vets to join the UK workforce- of which there has been a 70% fall this year’.
‘The challenge of meeting new requirements as well as a reduction in qualified vets available in the UK, cannot be underestimated.’
‘As a country, we need to look at our capacity to produce qualified vets and how we normalize and promote the benefits of a career in public health.’
‘There’s not an overnight fix but maintaining and prioritizing public safety and animal welfare is vital.’
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RCVS To Debate The Future of EMS
The future of Extra-Mural Studies (EMS) is at stake, with the topic set to be debated as part of an organizational stakeholder meeting this month.
The meeting, scheduled for the 21st of November, has been set to discuss whether the online element of EMS (which was introduced at the beginning of the pandemic) will be phased out entirely.
Linda Prescott-Clements, RCVS director of education, said:
‘The veterinary education landscape is changing – both as a result of COVID, but also increasing student numbers, new vet schools being established, and an increasing emphasis on clinical teaching in a first-opinion, general practice context.’
‘These factors are all likely to increase pressure on the current system, with the potential for increased demand for EMS coinciding with reduced availability. For this reason, we are starting to look further ahead into the future of EMS so that we can be prepared for all eventualities.’
‘This stakeholder meeting will bring all those in the sector together to discuss new ideas around longer-term plans for EMS so that we can continue to support future students in obtaining this vital experience in the workplace before they graduate.’
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Why Managers Need to Lead By Example to Protect Employee Wellbeing
Oftentimes, managers or practice owners fail to recognize how their work patterns may influence their teams.
For instance, leaders who are overworked and burned out don’t tend to bring their ‘best’ selves to the workplace. Exhausted and grouchy, these leaders can show up poorly, stressing out their co-workers and creating a hostile atmosphere.
Leaders who excessively work or never take holiday may inadvertently pressure their teams to work similarly. This can lead to dissatisfaction and burnout.
To remedy this, managers and practice owners need to put themselves first, so they can help their teams function the best they can.
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