large educational debt upon graduation. According to the AVMA, graduating student loan debt averaged $151,672 in 2012, a 6.4 percent increase from 2011. (11) According to the American Association of Wildlife Veterinarians ( AAWV ) and National Association of Federal Veterinarians ( NAFV ), salaries for wildlife and zoological veterinarians are relatively low compared to the average salaries of veterinarians in companion animal medicine. Lower salaries, combined with high educational debt and the small number of positions available in wildlife and zoological veterinary medicine, discourage students from pursuing careers in wildlife or zoological veterinary medicine. (12) According to the AAWV and NAFV, most schools and colleges of veterinary medicine lack both a comprehensive curriculum and sufficient numbers of formal educational programs specializing in wildlife or zoological veterinary medicine to adequately prepare graduates for a competitive workplace. (13) According to the AVMA, while some training opportunities exist for aspiring wildlife and zoological veterinarians, such opportunities are not available each year, pay low salaries or stipends, if any, and are highly competitive. 3. Purposes The purposes of this Act are— (1) to create new funded positions for wildlife and zoological veterinarians