Recipient Organization
DR. RACHEL W. MCCURDY VETERINARY SERVICES, LLC
1494 MCCURDY RD
MORTON,MS 39117
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
As a resident and veterinarian within this shortage area, I am dedicated to providing veterinary services to Scotty County with special attention to the southeastern area of the county. Since I am a resident of this county, my clinic is poised to effectively relieve this veterinary shortage area. I also am committed to serving surrounding counties which may not necessarily be listed as shortage counties but are still in great need of large animal veterinarians. Some of the surrounding counties that I serve are Leake, Madison, Rankin, and Hinds Counties. I am also committed to serving Newton County, which is another shortage area county outside of Scott County.NIFA RPE funds will greatly help grow my practice and allow me to reach andserve more clients within my shortage area. Local producers and livestock operators need professinal, fully equipped veterinary servicesfor their livestock.The NIFA RPE grant funds will assist me with enhancing diagnostic capacity, which will in turn promote effective treatments, and ultimatelygrow my practice. My practice is dedicated to serving Scott County, and I am committed to serve this community lifelong.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
The shortage area of Scott County, MS is in great need of large animal veterinarians. My clinic is the only clinic based in the county that is willing to serve food animals and other livestock. My maingoal is to provide high level veterinary services for Scott County and surrounding residents. With awarded funds, I plan to have a fully equipped work truck stocked with needed tools, drugs, and diagnostic equipment needed to makefarm calls to rural citizens and their livestock. Due to significant overhead costs and the need of diagnostic equipment and a work truck, it has been extremely challenging to operate my practice. With funding from the NIFA Rural Practice Enhancement Grant Program, this will allow me to purchase a fully stocked work truck, with an installed veterinary box, and veterinary diagnostic equipment. Having all of this availablewill allow me to better serve clients/patients in this area that is in great need.My participation in the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program allowed me to open my practice. Without my current participation in the VMLRP, I would not be able to continue operating due to significant overhead costs and the heavy burden of student loans. TheNIFA Rural Practice Enhancement GrantProgram fundingwill assist me with making an accurate diagnoses, properly treating patients, and help continue to grow the practice. Thanks to the VMLRP, having established, returning clientele has helped my practice tremendously and justifies the appropriate use of NIFA grant funding. My practice is dedicated to serving Scott County, and I am committed to serve this community lifelong. In the future, I aspire to build a mixed-animal veterinary clinic that will be committed to continue serving this shortage area for years to come.
Project Methods
I grew up active in my local 4-h chapter, specifically showing livestock, but also participating in community outreach programs led by our 4-h leader. I will never forget the impact 4-h had on my life, and how it helped carved me into the person that I am today. Being active in 4-h is what made me realize that I wanted to become a large-animal veterinarian. Therefore, I highly prioritize my practice supportinglocal agricultural groups and chapters such as 4-h, Little Britches Association, and High School Rodeo Assocation. My practice currenlty provides client educational posts and handouts to clients to help them uderstand why livestock care is so importanant and things that can be implemented in farm management practices at home. I aspire to provide some hands-on, in person educationalsessions for clients in the near future. These events will teach clients how to properly administer vaccines, judicious use of antibiotics, syringe/needle safety and usage, and also emergency care for their animals. Thus far, clients have responded positiviely to our efforts and our practice has returning/regular clients that respect our professional advice and actually implement it into their farm management practices.