Students from the College of Medicine and the College of Nursing and Health Sciences packed Carpenter Auditorium on Oct. 13 to hear U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders explain how they can access some of the $5 billion in new federal funds designated for college debt relief.
McDonald, who was sworn into office on July 30, 2014, talked about his efforts to revamp the largest integrated healthcare system in the U.S. by adding up to 30,000 new medical personnel to meet the needs of the 6.5 million veterans who annually access the 150 VA medical centers, 800 community-based outreach clinics and 300 veteran centers. His offer to those in attendance included up to $120,000 in loan debt relief in return for working for the VA.
“There is no higher calling than the care of our veterans,” said McDonald. “Across the nation we have taken veterans off of wait lists and put them into clinics, but in the long term we need to make sure that we build the capability to deal with the surge of veterans that we’ve had. We need the very best doctors, the very best nurses, and the best and the brightest, and that’s why I’m here at the University of Vermont.”
After a brief presentation about the VA, McDonald gave an impassioned and funny recruiting pitch.
“So we’re not being bashful, we would like you to come work for the VA. Is that clear?” McDonald said with a smile. “In case you missed it we have a special discount going on today. So if you sign up today, we will reimburse you for $120,000 of your medical debt thanks to the work of Sen. Sanders. We have all kinds of programs to make it worth your time to work at the VA.”
McDonald even gave out his personal cell phone number and email address in case anyone had trouble getting through on the main VA number. “Just call me, or send me an email. Would love to talk with you.”
As chair of the Senate Veterans Committee, Sanders worked with other legislators to pass a $16.5 billion package to improve the VA system including the doubling of debt forgiveness from $60,000 to $120,000. The bill also called for 1,500 new residency slots in the next five years so students can do their residencies at VA facilities. The law also requires the VA’s Office of Inspector General to determine annually the five health provider occupations with the largest staffing shortages, like physical therapy, and the direct authority to fill staffing shortages in these areas.
“You have heard about the problems facing the VA, and those are serious problems that Secretary McDonald is attempting to address,” said Sanders, who along with McDonald was introduced by UVM president Tom Sullivan. “But what you may not have heard enough about is that if you go out and talk to veterans in the state of Vermont and elsewhere, nine-out-of-10 times what you hear is that when they get into the VA, the quality of care is excellent and that they appreciate it. When people put their lives on the line to defend us, all of us in one way or another as Americans have a moral obligation to protect them and defend them.”
Medical school students, who will graduate with an average debt of $175,000, on par with the national average, asked questions about the Education Debt Reduction Program and how they could gain access through a residency, by doing a rotation, or by working at a facility after they graduate. In 2013, 40,420 physician residents and fellows in graduate medical education programs rotated to VA clinical facilities.
“The money is huge," said second-year medical school student Hillary Anderson, who comes from a military family and whose husband is in the Naval Reserves. “I’m specializing in pediatrics, so I’m not sure if that fits, but I’d like to hear more.”
Caitlin Hester, a first-year student in the Army ROTC Nursing program, said the combination of debt relief and the experience of serving veterans is valuable on multiple levels. “It will appeal to people who have a lot of debt,” she says, “but it’s also important and rewarding to give back to veterans for everything they have done for us. It’s very noble thing to do.”
Dr. Frederick Morin, dean of UVM's College of Medicine, hopes students take advantage of the program for the debt relief, but also for the experience of working with veterans, something he did at a VA facility in West Hartford, Conn., as a medical student at Yale. “You really felt like you were helping people who needed and deeserved it and that no one else was going to take care of,” said Morin. “It was my most memorable clerkship, and I did many of them.”
Sanders closed the presentation by asking for students to give serious thought to joining the VA as they consider their post-graduate options.
“Bottom line is that the VA, with its integrated healthcare, is a good place to work,” said Sanders. “When you work in the VA you are doing some of the most important work that can be done by doctors and nurses. It may not be all that glamorous, and you may not make as much money as someone on Park Avenue, but what you will be doing is serving people who have served us, and that is our moral responsibility. I hope you will give serious thought to joining the VA team.”