Don't Let DC Slam the Door for Future MDs.

Key Facts: The Stark Reality

• 70-75% of medical students rely on federal loans to afford the cost of attendance—Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC)
• The US will face a shortage of up to 86,000 physicians by 2036—and this bill will only intensify the crisis (AAMC)
• The Congressional Budget Office estimates the bill will leave nearly 11 million people uninsured, leading to a rise in preventable illness as patients delay or skip essential medical care (AAMC)

Congress is currently considering the "One Big Beautiful Bill." The proposal will shut down the Grad PLUS federal loan program for all new medical students starting in the 2026-2027 academic year. This would cap the loan at $150,000, which is half of what most medical students need to afford the cost of attendance. Medical school costs a crippling average of $80,000 to $95,000 a year, and students accumulate $200,000 to $300,000 in student debt before residency. Without the help of federal loans, students have no choice but to rely on private loans with outrageous rates and no safety nets. Current repayment plans have been cut, making it extremely difficult for physicians to get loan forgiveness, especially those in low-income and rural areas. If the bill passes, medicine will become an unreachable dream for the lower to middle classes, only accessible to the wealthy. Enactment of the bill means the dismantling of the healthcare system: aspiring doctors are denied medical education, patients face delayed and limited care, and America's position globally as medical leaders will be undermined.