This year, Pfizer, in conjunction with the American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF), awarded 222 second- and third-year U.S. veterinary students with $555,000 in scholarships. The scholarships are open to all students, but 18 percent of this year's recipients come from diverse backgrounds and two-thirds are studying food-animal medicine, the company says.

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

"Rising debt, insufficient diversity and fewer practicing or skilled food-animal veterinarians in rural America are serious challenges to the veterinary profession," says Dr. Michael McFarland, group director of veterinary medical services and corporate citizenship at Pfizer. "As a market leader, we have a responsibility and an obligation to help support the future of the veterinary profession."