Source: AVMA
A proposed federal class-action lawsuit filed on April 2, 2025, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia alleges that the Veterinary Internship and Residency Matching Program (VIRMP), sponsored by the American Association of Veterinary Clinicians (AAVC), along with several Veterinary schools and hospitals, conspired to suppress wages and limit employment mobility for Veterinary interns and residents. Plaintiffs Riley Amore and Caroline Parker claim that the VIRMP’s structure—requiring applicants to accept matched positions and prohibiting pre-match negotiations—violates antitrust laws by restricting competition.
The lawsuit also accuses participating institutions of sharing salary information, leading to standardized and artificially low wages. In 2024, Veterinary interns reportedly earned an average of $56,705, significantly less than the $106,963 average starting salary for new Veterinary graduates in full-time positions. The suit seeks damages and a court order to halt these practices, potentially impacting over 5,000 individuals who participated in the VIRMP since April 2021.