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.
Episodes
Friday Dec 18, 2020
Friday Dec 18, 2020
Tune in as we have a conversation with student debt expert Dr. Lance Roasa and Dr. Tony Bartels about the COVID-19 Student Loan Repayment Relief Ending and strategies for re-entering repayment specifically veterinary students.
Normally, interest accrues on your veterinary school Direct Loans from the day you receive them. The interest suspension you received during 2020 has been an extremely beneficial form of financial relief. This will likely save you tens of thousands of dollars during repayment.
Unfortunately, the student loan interest suspension period will end and interest will begin to accrue on your loans at some point after January 31, 2021. For the 2020-2021 academic calendar year, the loans you received from July 1, 2020, through June 30, 2021, will accrue interest at a rate of 4.3% for Direct Unsubsidized and 5.3% for Direct Grad PLUS loans.
Listen in to learn best practices to help you renter student loan repayment as a veterinary student.
SPEAKER BIOS:
Dr. Lance Roasa
Dr. Lance Roasa is a 2008 graduate of Texas A&M where he was the first student to undertake a 4th-year business-track, spending the majority of his clinical training in veterinary business and industry. In 2016 He completed a law degree from the University of Nebraska and his training was centered on the law of small business, taxation, and the law of veterinary medicine. Dr. Roasa exclusively serves veterinarians from his law practice, teaches veterinary law and business at 14 veterinary schools, and co-founded drip.vet.
Dr. Tony Bartels
Tony Bartels graduated in 2012 from the Colorado State University combined MBA/DVM program and is 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.
LINKS AND INFORMATION:
- Drip.vet FREE Personal Financial Course: https://drip.vet/vin
- Federal Student Aid: https://studentaid.gov
- Federal Student Aid COVID FAQ: https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/coronavirus
- VIN Foundation Blog: https://vinfoundation.org/blog/
- VIN Foundation COVID-19 Repayment Restart blog post: https://vinfoundation.org/covid-19-veterinary-student-loan-repayment-restart/
- VIN Foundation Borrow Better Tools: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/borrow-better-veterinary-school-loan-debt/
- VIN Foundation New Veterinary Graduate Student Loan Playbook: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/class-2020-veterinary-student-loan-playbook/
- VIN Foundation Student Debt Center: https://vinfoundation.org/studentdebtcenter
- VIN Foundation My Student Loans tool: http://www.vinfoundation.org/mystudentloans
- VIN Foundation WikiDebt: https://vinfoundation.org/wikidebt
- VIN Foundation Webinars: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/webinars/
- Email help from VIN Foundation: studentdebt@vinfoundation.org
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!
Friday Dec 11, 2020
Friday Dec 11, 2020
Tune in as we chat with student debt expert Dr. Tony Bartels about the COVID-19 Student Loan Repayment Relief Ending and strategies for re-entering repayment
Since March 13, 2020, borrowers with federally held student loans have received student loan repayment relief. Interest rates have been set to zero percent, payments have been suspended, and for those using income-driven repayment or working towards Public Service Loan Forgiveness, the suspension time has counted towards qualifying forgiveness payments.
The current relief is now set to expire on January 31, 2020. Many receiving student loan repayment relief have been notified by the Department of Education and/or their loan servicers that repayment will be restarting in 2021. The entire student loan collection system was never intended to be turned off and on all at once, like a switch, so what can we expect this February 2021? Listen in to learn more.
In this episode we mention the following links and information:
- Federal Student Aid: https://studentaid.gov
- Federal Student Aid COVID FAQ: https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/coronavirus
- VIN Foundation COVID-19 Repayment Restart blog post: https://vinfoundation.org/covid-19-veterinary-student-loan-repayment-restart/
- VIN Foundation Repay Wiser Tools: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/repay-wiser-veterinary-school-debt-loan-repayment/
- VIN Foundation New Veterinary Graduate Student Loan Playbook: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/class-2020-veterinary-student-loan-playbook/
- VIN Foundation Student Debt Center: https://vinfoundation.org/studentdebtcenter
- VIN Foundation My Student Loans tool: http://www.vinfoundation.org/mystudentloans
- VIN Foundation WikiDebt: https://vinfoundation.org/wikidebt
- VIN Foundation Webinars: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/webinars/
- Email help from VIN Foundation: studentdebt@vinfoundation.org
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!
Monday Nov 30, 2020
Monday Nov 30, 2020
Tune in as veterinary student Amber McElhinney reads her “Veterinary School Financials - What I Wish I Had Known” blog post.
Helpful for all pre-veterinary students, Amber takes you step-by-step through her financial expenses while applying to veterinary school. From application fees to moving costs, this podcast episode provides tangible information to help with the pre-veterinary school process.
In this episode we mention the following links and information:
- Amber McElhinney blog post: https://vinfoundation.org/the-financials-of-applying-to-veterinary-school-what-i-wish-i-had-known/
- VIN Foundation Apply Smarter: http://vinfoundation.org/applysmarter
- VIN Foundation Apply Smarter Checklist: https://vetschoolbound.org/applysmarterchecklist
- Vet School Bound: https://vetschoolbound.org
- VIN Foundation Cost of Education Map: https://vetschoolbound.org/how-much-will-my-veterinary-education-cost/
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!
Wednesday Nov 25, 2020
Wednesday Nov 25, 2020
Tune in on this VIN Foundation Borrow Better webinar replay with student debt expert Dr. Tony Bartels.
Paying for your veterinary education is complicated. FAFSA, Direct Unsubsidized and Grad Plus Loans, Health Professions Student Loans, private loans, family loans, spouse support, savings, summer job -- how do you know which loans or resources are best to use now to decrease stress now and during repayment?
If you’re borrowing, you undoubtedly have received your financial aid award for this semester. And you also have a special surprise this year -- no interest so far! This webinar will help you assess your award, the current interest suspension information unique to this year, and Borrow Better for the remainder of veterinary school. Learn how to create the best plan for you!
In this episode we mention the following links and information:
- VIN Foundation Borrow Better: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/borrow-better-veterinary-school-loan-debt/
- VIN Foundation Borrow Better Checklist: https://vinfoundation.org/borrowbetterchecklist
- VIN Foundation My Student Loans Tool: http://www.vinfoundation.org/mystudentloans
- VIN Foundation In-School Loan Estimator: http://www.vinfoundation.org/isle
- Student Aid.gov: https://studentaid.gov/
- Drip.vet Personal Financial Success FREE Course: https://drip.vet/vin/
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!
Thursday Oct 29, 2020
Thursday Oct 29, 2020
Tune in as we chat with Dr. Hilary Levitin about her zig zag veterinary career path and passion for helping veterinary colleagues. She shares her approach to turning challenges into opportunities for building resilience, the power of vulnerability, and finding gratitude during unexpected times.
Dr. Levitin was born and raised in the Wrigleyville area of Chicago, IL. She attended the University of Illinois where she received a Bachelor of Science in Animal Sciences with honors (2010) and a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine (2015). Following graduation, she completed a rotating internship at Veterinary Specialty Center (Buffalo Grove, IL). While Dr. Levitin always had a strong interest in neurology throughout veterinary school, her rotating internship found her interested in caring for more critical patients as well. She subsequently returned to the University of Illinois for a specialty internship in Emergency and Critical Care with an additional emphasis on Neurology. During her specialty internship, she developed a strong interest in cases that combined these two specialties, including management of cluster seizures, implementing treatment for encephalitides, and head trauma. She is currently in her final year of her Neurology and Neurosurgery residency at the University of Illinois.
In this episode we mention the following resource:
Vets4Vets® https://vinfoundation.org/vets4vets
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!
Tuesday Oct 20, 2020
Tuesday Oct 20, 2020
Tune in as we chat with Sherry Shih, a 3rd-year veterinary student at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. We discuss her detailed approach to saving money while in veterinary school. You can find a link to her referred blog post below, along with additional helpful information on how to Borrow Better while in veterinary school.
In this episode we mention the following links:
Saving Money in Veterinary School blog post: https://vinfoundation.org/saving-money-in-veterinary-school-living-expenses/
Borrow Better: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/borrow-better-veterinary-school-loan-debt/
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!
Wednesday Sep 23, 2020
Wednesday Sep 23, 2020
Tune in as we chat with Victoria McKaba, a 4th-year veterinary student at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. We discuss what it’s like being a 4th year in the midst of COVID, how she is planning for the future, and her advice for the Class of 2024.
About Victoria McKaba:
Victoria has a strong interest in small animal cardiology and hopes to pursue an internship and residency after graduation. While in veterinary school, Victoria has dedicated her time to organized veterinary medicine, serving as the Illinois SAVMA President, Omega Tau Sigma - Theta Chapter President, and currently serves as the National SAVMA Chapter President Representative. Outside of vet med, Victoria loves hiking with her dog Bentley, spending time with friends and family, traveling, and discovering the best local breweries.
In this episode we mention the following resources:
- SAVMA: https://www.avma.org/membership/SAVMA
- University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine: https://vetmed.illinois.edu/
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!
Tuesday Sep 08, 2020
Tuesday Sep 08, 2020
Tune in as we chat with VIN Foundation Board Member and student debt expert, Dr. Tony Bartels. We discuss how COVID has impacted student loans, and what the CARES Act means for veterinary students and veterinarians managing their debt.
In this episode we mention the following resources:
- VIN Foundation Student Debt Center: https://vinfoundation.org/studentdebtcenter
- VIN Foundation My Student Loans: https://vinfoundation.org/mystudentloans
- VIN Foundation Blog: https://vinfoundation.org/coronavirus-impact-to-student-loans-covid-19/
- Student Loan Triage in the Age of COVID webinar recording: https://vinfoundation.org/climbing-mt-debt-student-loan-triage-covid-webinar/
- Student Aid: https://studentaid.gov/
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 subscribe and follow, rate, and share. As always, we welcome feedback. If you have an idea for a podcast episode, we’d love to hear it!
