POND CREEK, Okla. -- Pond Creek veterinarian Harry James can tell people a few things about the critical shortage of rural veterinarians and what the solution to the problem may be. He has been in the field for 45 years, practicing mostly in Grant County since graduating Oklahoma State University in 1960 with a degree in veterinary science.

"When rural areas don't have someone caring for large animals, they will miss it. There's a need for it," James said.

He talks about nearby towns such as Waynoka and Caldwell, Kan., losing large animal veterinarians who haven't been replaced. "Some people are driving more than 80 miles to find treatment for their animals. It's almost impossible to hire a young person in a rural veterinary practice," James said.

James sees much of the veterinarian shortage problem starting from the academic process itself.

"Veterinary science is a hard field to get into. Schools have been wrong picking students solely on their grade point average," James said.

"More consideration should be given to who the people are and their backgrounds."

It's no secret many large animal veterinarians hail from rural backgrounds and have had earlier exposure to cattle and agriculture. He feels that to interrupt the flow of their interest and perhaps passion based solely on grade point performance is a serious mistake.

"A lot of veterinarians now have no agricultural experience," James said.

A loan forgiveness program based on high debts that students incur from their veterinary schooling certainly would be an asset to perhaps recruiting more people but don't bank on the federal government to provide it. He says the federal government passed a bill and (President) Bush signed it saying that the government would forgive some portion of the loans. It's never happened because the funding would come from the Department of Agriculture, and they don't have the money.

Oklahoma is one of several states looking at a possible loan forgiveness program if students work in rural areas after graduation. Kansas passed such a law earlier this year, and associations like American Association of Bovine Practitioners and Academy of Rural Veterinarians have provided more scholarship money to students.

James said he recently attended an association convention in St. Paul, Minn., and was encouraged by what he saw. "More than 350 young people attended and they gave out 35 scholarships," James said. It's a start, but much more needs to be done."