2021 Merck Animal Health Scholarship

“I am thrilled to have been awarded the Merck Animal Health Scholarship! This is huge for me as partially relieves a huge financial burden and allows me more freedom to pursue the career I’m so passionate about. I would like to pursue mission work overseas, and this scholarship will make that goal much more achievable. The money not only helps me but in turn helps the animals and people I’ll be serving! Thank you!”

“The scholarship alleviates some of my financial burden which will allow me to pursue additional training after completion of my DVM. My goal is to become a large animal surgeon and clinician scientist at an academic institution to combine my passions for clinical medicine and translational One Health research to improve both human and animal medicine. I am so grateful to the American Veterinary Medical Foundation and Merck Animal Health for supporting me and my goals.”

“This award will allow me to focus on my goal of becoming a well-rounded, mixed animal practitioner in a rural area. It will provide continued motivation to strive for further personal development and learning during my clinical year, so in the future, I can give back to such an amazing profession that has supported me the past three years. Thank you, Merck Animal Health and the American Veterinary Medical Foundation for your continued support of future veterinarians.”

“I am honored and extremely grateful to be a recipient of the AVMF/Merck Animal Health Scholarship. The award will help lessen my financial burden, especially during my clinical year where I plan on participating in multiple preceptorships/externships out of state that will help me further my education. Thank you so much for this amazing opportunity and for supporting me in my education and future career.”

“I am incredibly honored and humbled to be selected for the 2022 AVMF Merck Animal Health Scholarship. I cannot express my gratefulness for the support and confidence in me enough. This award will aid me significantly in pursuing a non-traditional career path as a veterinary clinician as well as a computational geneticist. I look forward to utilizing my unique skillsets and developing clinically relevant and accessible diagnostic tools for our veterinary community in the near future.”

“I am honored to be a recipient of the AVMF/Merck Animal Health Scholarship. This scholarship will allow me to continue to focus more on my education and goal of becoming a bovine veterinarian and less on the sizable financial burden that is incurred with vet school. I want to help ensure the health and well-being of my client’s livestock and to make a difference and give back to not only my local community but also the veterinary profession.”

“I feel so incredibly honored and blessed to be a recipient of the Merck Animal Health Scholarship. I am extremely passionate about helping not only animals but also people through a career in veterinary medicine. This award is significant support as I pursue my dream of becoming a clinical professor and saving animals while teaching future generations of veterinarians! “

“The funding from this scholarship aids in alleviating my financial burden and allows me to focus not only on my studies but also opens up time to serve community programs such as The Homeward Bound Project of Mississippi. My current career path is to focus on small animal medicine specifically in the areas of emergency medicine and internal medicine. Thank you AVMF for opening the doors to opportunities and reducing the mental stress of veterinary student debt.”

“In the middle of the stress of vet school, it’s nice to have some peace of mind financially from receiving your scholarship. I really appreciate the AVMA’s help and support!”

“I’m deeply humbled and eternally grateful for being awarded the AVMF/Merck scholarship. This award validates the hard work of veterinary students and allows me more financial freedom to attend externships and continue to grow as a future practitioner!”

“I am honored and humbled to receive this scholarship to continue pursuing my dreams of advocating the importance of veterinarians in biomedical research. It will graciously support me in the completion of my dual DVM/PhD training, especially in the research projects I will be performing this summer. I would like to extend my utmost appreciation and gratitude to the committee for their generous gift and its memorable impact on my future career as a veterinary clinician-scientist.”

“I am extremely grateful and honored to have received this scholarship. This award will help lessen the burden of my financial debt, allowing me to feel more at ease about finances and focus more on studying, as well as encourage my pursuit of the veterinary field. I would like to thank AVMF and Merck Animal Health for selecting me and supporting my passion in this career field.”

“I would like to extend my gratitude towards those involved in selecting me as a recipient of the AVMF and Merck Animal Health Scholarship. I am truly grateful. It is motivating to have my efforts recognized. This award will help reduce the financial burden associated with attending veterinary school. It will also allow me to direct my focus towards my studies and learning as much as I can so that I may become the best veterinarian I can possibly be. Thank you so much for your support!”

“I am grateful and honored beyond words to be a recipient of the AVMF Merck Animal Health scholarship. It supports the pursuit of my passions, allowing me to invest my time and energy into becoming the best Emergency and Critical Care veterinarian that I can be. As I look towards the pursuit of an internship and residency, this award helps alleviate the immense financial stress of specialty education. Thank you again AVMF and Merck, I am so excited to see what the future holds!”

“It is an honor to receive the AVMF Merck Animal Health Scholarship. As veterinarians, we serve the public, and I intend to use the extra funds to pursue externship opportunities that help me be better suited to do so. The opportunity to grow as a professional is a privilege. I am grateful to the AVMF and Merck for financially supporting my colleagues and me so that we may be better versions of ourselves tomorrow.”

“I am extremely honored to have been selected for the AVMF Merck Animal Health Scholarship. The support greatly offsets the financial burden associated with veterinary school costs and supports my goal of becoming a small animal and exotic veterinarian. My involvement in past externships has proven very rewarding to me, so this scholarship will make it more feasible for me to seek out future experiences that enhance my clinical knowledge, develop confidence, and promote personal growth.”

“I am truly honored to have received the Merck-AVMF Animal Health scholarship for the 2021-2022 year. Coming from a low-income background, any financial support is greatly appreciated. This scholarship means that I can focus more on school and less on working. I’m so excited to continue my dual DVM-MPH and to become a public health veterinarian in a time when the world needs them the most!”

“I am so grateful to be a recipient of the Merck Animal Health Scholarship. Becoming a veterinarian has been my lifelong dream. Scholarship aid allows me to continue to put my best foot forward in veterinary medicine and I strive to pay this forward in the future. Gaining this scholarship has not only lifted some of the financial burdens of this semester, but it also motivates me to achieve and give back to my peers and community through veterinary work.”

“I am humbled and grateful to have received the AVMF/Merck Animal Health Scholarship! It will help fund a portion of the costs associated with my upcoming fourth-year clinical rotations at laboratory animal-focused programs across the nation. This scholarship also validates my hard work and passion as a scientist and soon-to-be veterinarian.”

“The financial implications of chasing my childhood dream have been real and jarring. Financial support is critical in allowing the next generation of veterinary professionals to pursue their passions, and I am so grateful for AVMF and Merck’s support of me. I plan to pursue a residency after graduation, and having financial support allows me to continue to chase my dreams with fewer concerns of my financial state ahead.”

“I am incredibly honored to receive the AVMF Merck Animal Health Scholarship. This award will allow me to further pursue experiences during my clinical year that may have been financially limiting otherwise. I am tremendously grateful to both organizations for their support of students like me and for encouraging us to be the best doctors we can be!”

“I am honored to receive this scholarship and am grateful for the relief it provides by decreasing my student loans. I hope to pay this scholarship forward through my career as I advocate for One Health policy and increased animal protections. This scholarship will allow me to focus on my career ahead and prepare in the best way possible.”

“I am extremely honored to receive the AVMF Merck Animal Health Scholarship. This award will help cover many of the expenses that I expect in my clinical year, from externship travel costs to NAVLE fees. I am grateful for this support and hope to continue making a positive impact on small animal and community medicine through the new opportunities enabled by this scholarship.”

“I am incredibly honored to receive the AVMF Merck Animal Health Scholarship. This scholarship will help me continue to pursue my life-long dream of becoming a veterinarian. It also helps me show my children that perseverance and hard work can lead to great rewards. I feel extremely fortunate to be supported by the veterinary community and hope to give back to the community in the future.”

“Words cannot fully express my gratitude and appreciation to AVMF and Merck for the Animal Health Scholarship. It will assist me in my externship opportunities and decrease my financial burden, allowing me more energy to devote to my studies. I will be the first doctor in my family and my success will not only be my own but my community’s as well. I will always treasure this achievement and pay it forward when I am able to as a mentor, teacher, and healer in this profession.”

“My ultimate goal has always been to return back to my rural town of Winslow, Arizona to provide veterinary services to Winslow citizens and my people on the Navajo Nation. These areas are underserved, and I would like to do my part to help fill the gap. The Merck Animal Health Scholarship goes beyond just helping me, it helps communities like mine. And communities like mine depend greatly on their animals from a socioeconomic standpoint. I am delighted to have your support.”

“The honor of being awarded this scholarship is immense. It comes as a relief during the difficult times that the pandemic has brought upon many of us. Veterinary medicine is a wonderful industry, and I shall represent the AVMF and Merck Animal Health proudly throughout my career knowing that the organizations assisted me in reaching my goals. I thank both organizations and the individuals of the Scholarship Review Committee for providing me with this award and opportunity”

“This award is incredibly empowering. Emotionally, the award has impacted me through the recognition of my achievements and has aided in exhibiting to me that my strifes through vet school have been noticed. The financial impact of this award will be incredible in that it will allow me to participate in the externships requiring travel that I feel will be ultimately critical to my success and journey in combining the fields of human and animal research under the One Health Initiative.”

“I am beyond grateful to be a recipient of this scholarship. It goes farther than the financial support; it reaffirms that my future goals, however lofty, are attainable. Thank you, AVMF and Merck, for supporting veterinary students as we pursue our passions for saving animal lives.”

“I am beyond thankful for being selected for the AVMF Merck Animal Health scholarship to support my educational goals. As a dual-degree (DVM/MPH) student, this scholarship will help alleviate some of my incurring education debt that will impact me for years to come and allow me to focus more on my academics and hands-on experiences that will prepare me for my future career. Thank you for this recognition and support of my future career goals.”

“A simple thank you cannot begin to explain how grateful I am. This award will lessen the impact of my financial stressors while increasing the time I can dedicate to my studies and club activities. It will continue fueling my passion and incessant drive to excel within the veterinary field.”

“I am humbled and appreciative to be selected for the AVMF/Merck Animal Health Scholarship. It eases the financial burden of tuition and exemplifies support for my endeavor to broaden accessibility to veterinary services and the cultural significance and impact that BIPOC veterinary professionals have within our communities. Thank you for the encouragement and belief in the value of changing veterinary medicine to match the needs of animals and the people who love them.”

“I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Merck Animal Health and the American Veterinary Medical Foundation for the provided financial support. This scholarship will have a tremendous impact on my professional development by helping mitigate my financial burden and allowing me to pursue educational opportunities. As I enter my clinical year, this scholarship will help offset the cost of travel and other expenses as I prepare to become a food animal veterinarian.”

“I am deeply grateful to the AVMF and Merck Animal Health for granting me this incredible scholarship. As a dual degree student (DVM/MPH) my goals are to work with dairy producers and the general public to improve animal health and dairy industry perception. This award offset some of the existing tuition burdens and allow me to pursue hands-on 4th-year externship opportunities. Thank you for your generosity, kindness, and support- it is greatly appreciated.”

“Coming from a first-generation background, this scholarship is momentous to me. It will allow me to support my community as a Chinese small animal/exotics veterinarian. I am incredibly grateful for the financial support and recognition of my achievements. I feel more motivated than ever to continue my studies in such a rigorous program. I would like to extend my gratitude to AVMF and Merck Animal Health for supporting the veterinary profession as well as my endeavors.”

“I am truly honored and grateful to be a recipient of the AVMF Merck Animal Health Scholarship! It is invaluable to me not only in offsetting costs but in ensuring I can pursue my career goals and give back to my communities. I am originally from Barbados and am currently in my second year of veterinary school. I hope to one day become a veterinarian scientist and work at the intersection of animal, human and environmental health. Thank you so much!”

“The AVMF/Merck Animal Health Scholarship will give me the chance to pursue important externships this summer, which will better prepare me for my clinical rotations and make me a much stronger and more experienced vet!”

“I am grateful and honored to have been selected for the Merck Animal Health Scholarship. The selection of this award will help alleviate financial stress and shows the support of others towards my future goals. I would like to thank everyone involved for believing in and supporting my education. With this award, I will be able to continue to focus on attaining valuable clinical and hands-on experience in pursuit of my career to care for animals of all species.”

“I am honored to receive the AVMF/Merck Animal Health Scholarship and to be supported in dedicating my career to global animal health equity. With this scholarship, I will further my learning, practice, and research, for providing veterinary care to underserved community animals in India, the US, & around the world.”

“I feel privileged and grateful to receive the Merck Animal Health Scholarship. These funds have greatly reduced my financial burden this term and I strive to pay forward this support increasing access to veterinary care for a diverse clientele throughout my future career. Thank you for supporting my education and goals!”

“I am beyond thrilled and exceptionally honored to be recognized as a recipient of the AVMF Merck Animal Health Scholarship this year. I feel privileged to be in this profession and with the help of the AVMF & Merck, I will be able to jump-start an impactful career focused around wildlife conservation and shelter medicine.”

“I am incredibly honored to be selected as one of the recipients of the AVMF Merck Animal Health Scholarship. It relieves me of financial stress and allows me to focus my time and energy on learning and growing into the veterinarian I wish to become. Now that I have begun my clinical year education, this award only emphasizes the generosity and community of the veterinary field and enhances my passion and desire to become an emergency veterinarian.”

“I can’t begin to say how much this scholarship means to me. I have worked very hard to meet my financial goals while in vet school and this scholarship came at a perfect time. This money will help throughout my clinical year as I anticipate greater expenses related to externships and licensing exams in addition to normal costs. This generous gift has helped provide a sense of relief for me and my family.”

“My pursuit of a doctorate in veterinary medicine has brought a great financial strain, and this reward will help relieve some of that burden. In addition, it also provides a tremendous amount of encouragement for me as I continue to pursue my degree in this challenging profession. Thank you, Merck Animal Health, and the AVMF, for offering such a generous scholarship to veterinary students like myself.”

“I am so grateful and honored to have received the AVMF Merck Animal Health scholarship. I am blessed and excited to be in the veterinary profession and look forward to dedicating my life to improving the health of animals. This scholarship will significantly aid in my effort to becoming a rural mixed animal veterinarian and am once again so thankful for Merck Animal Health and AVMF for this award.”

“I am beyond excited to receive the Merck Animal Health Scholarship! This money will bring me one step closer to achieving my dream of becoming a veterinarian. I am overwhelmingly grateful that this foundation saw my potential and decided to invest in me. Many thanks to the AVM Foundation for helping students turn their aspirations into reality.”

“I am honored to have been awarded the AVMF Merck Animal Health Scholarship. It is amazing to know that there are charitable donors supporting students like me involved in veterinary medicine. This scholarship has given me a sense of financial freedom, allowing me to focus my time and energy on academics and extracurricular activities. Thank you so much for this generous award!”

“I cannot thank the AVMF and Merck Animal Health enough for this generous scholarship support. Scholarships like this remind me of the continuous support our veterinary community has for each other. This support fuels my passion for veterinary medicine and I am excited to give back to veterinary medicine and students like myself in the future. For now, I will continue to develop my leadership skills, study for my future patients and their owners, and encourage my peers to do the same.”

“It is such an honor to be selected as a recipient of the 2022 AVMF Merck Animal Health Scholarship! It will help support my goal to become a small animal medicine and aquatic medicine practitioner. This scholarship will help me explore small animal medicine, marine mammal rescue, and rehabilitation, protect marine invertebrates within their ecosystems, work with local salmon fisheries, and ultimately plan for a small animal rotating internship after graduation.”

“This scholarship has more than a financial impact- it allows me to continue to foster change in my community, help veterinary students grow and explore the multitude of opportunities available in this growing profession, and relieve some of the immense burden associated with pursuing a career in veterinary medicine. I am very grateful for this award, the recognition of my achievements, and the opportunity I have been given to continue making a difference.”

“I am incredibly grateful and honored to receive the Merck Animal Health Scholarship. This scholarship will provide significant support to me as I enter my clinical year. It will lessen my financial burden, assist me with NAVLE fees and travel expenses during externships and preceptors, and allow me to take on more opportunities during my fourth year. I am truly thankful to you for helping me pursue my dream of becoming a mixed animal practitioner.”

“Receiving the Merck scholarship was truly a sobering and humbling moment. This scholarship is a fantastic achievement for my professional schooling and will be used as a springboard to further my education. The funds will be used towards my tuition costs and will alleviate the financial burden on my wife and daughters by reducing my loan withdrawals. I am very humbled and grateful, thank you.”

“I am truly humbled and honored to be a recipient of the AVMF/Merck Animal Health Scholarship. Thanks to the generosity of the AVMF and Merck Animal Health I will be able to pursue more research and professional development opportunities in my field of interest. Thank you for believing in me.”

“I am beyond grateful to be recognized by the AVMF and Merck Animal Heath for this prestigious award! This generous scholarship is a sigh of relief and will be utilized in my 4th year of veterinary school to offset the tremendous cost of travel expenses. I hope to experience all that veterinary medicine has to offer as I strive to be an emergency/critical care veterinarian. Thank you for supporting my career and believing in my potential as a future colleague.”