Pfizer Animal Health has announced the first recipients of a new $2 million scholarship program for US veterinary students. The program will be administered in partnership with the American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF).

The initiative, designed to support the future of the veterinary profession, will provide up to $2 million in scholarships over its first three years. In the initial year, Pfizer Animal Health has awarded 222 second- and third-year US veterinary students with a total of $555,000 in scholarships. The recipients hail from 28 U.S. veterinary schools accredited through the AVMA.

Scholarship recipients were selected based on several criteria, including academic excellence, leadership, diversity, and potential for contributing to food-animal or food-safety veterinary medicine. Each will receive $2,500 this year.

The scholarship program is part of a broader commitment from Pfizer Animal Health to support the future of the veterinary industry–including scholarships, training and education, and research and development