Pfizer Animal Health Announces 'Commitment to Veterinarians'

October 20, 2010 — 

Pfizer Animal Health launched a U.S. initiative reaffirming its steadfast support for the veterinary profession. Under the banner Commitment to Veterinarians, Pfizer pledged to comprehensively address the significant short- and long-term unmet needs facing practicing veterinarians and students in the United States.

Commitment to Veterinarians focuses on three key areas for veterinarian support: training and continuing education, research and development, and investing in the future of the profession. As part of a three-year, $3 million scholarship program with the American Veterinary Medical Foundation, Pfizer recently announced the 2011 call for scholarship applications from students at U.S. colleges of veterinary medicine. The scholarships will focus on meeting ongoing needs of the veterinary profession, including strengthening diversity and increasing the number of large-animal veterinarians to serve in mixed or rural practices. To assist veterinary students, Pfizer also just launched http://www.VetStudentConnect.com, a new portal for students to apply for Pfizer scholarships and learn about other assistance programs.

The current U.S. business model for veterinarians is rapidly changing. Few veterinary medicine students are willing to venture into rural practices, particularly in food-animal medicine. More veterinarians than ever before are facing debt loads that may stay with them for a lifetime. The American Veterinary Medical Association recently estimated that the average veterinary student debt upon graduation totals $120,000. There are dwindling dollars being allocated to important research programs that address animal disease, and there also is a growing lack of diversity in the profession that needs immediate attention.

At a time when the veterinary profession is facing these significant challenges, Pfizer Animal Health is increasing its investment in the veterinary profession, including:

• Contributing more than $15 million last year alone to universities and allied organizations toward scholarships and fellowship opportunities.
• Leading the industry in science-based training and continuing education, providing more than 1,700 hours a year in diverse CE opportunities that focus on disease-state information.
• Investing $300 million annually in research and development - more than any other animal health company - which have led to new therapies that address unmet medical needs.

Source: Pfizer Animal Health Press Release, October 12, 2010