Loan plan in Republican bill could worsen doctor shortage, experts warn [View all]

Source: The Guardian

Sun 1 Jun 2025 06.00 EDT
Last modified on Sun 1 Jun 2025 06.01 EDT


Doctors’ associations, medical schools and student advocates warn that a proposal in the Republican-led budget bill being considered by Congress restricts graduate federal student loans and could worsen a national shortage of doctors.

The new Republican proposal would limit federal student loans for “professional programs” – such as medical school – to $150,000, eliminate a federal graduate loan program and put limits on loan forgiveness. Medical students rely heavily on federal student loans to finance lengthy and expensive educations, particularly since 2006, when Congress broadly lifted caps on borrowing limits to allow for the full cost of tuition and living expenses.

“Our organization is very concerned about this,” said Dave Bergman, a spokesperson for the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM). He said about four in five students who attend osteopathic medical schools, which grant the doctor of osteopathy or “DO” designation, use Grad Plus loans and many depend on student loan forgiveness.

The changes are part of the 1,100-page Republican-led reconciliation bill dubbed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that Donald Trump sees as core to his second term in office. The legislation passed the House last week and is now being considered by the US Senate.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/01/republican-trump-bill-doctor-shortage