AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges) President and CEO David J. Skorton, MD, and Chief Public Policy Officer Danielle Turnipseed, JD, MHSA, MPP, issued the following statement about the proposed elimination of the Grad PLUS loan program and restrictions to Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) eligibility for medical residents, as outlined in the House of Representatives Education and Workforce Committee’s reconciliation bill text:
“Every aspiring physician deserves a fair chance at a medical education — no matter their economic background. Federal student aid programs like Grad PLUS loans and Public Service Loan Forgiveness help make that possible for nearly half of all medical students. Eliminating or restricting these critical programs would undermine the future physician workforce and ultimately make it harder for patients in communities nationwide to get the care they need. We urge Congress to reject any policy that would limit the ability of medical students to use these critical programs, including limitations on eligibility for PSLF for medical residents.
Grad PLUS is not just about paying for school. First implemented in 2006, this financial tool is a strategic investment in building and sustaining the physician workforce America needs. With delinquency rare among medical students, the government benefits from higher interest payments over the lifetime of repayment compared to undergraduate loans. Federal lending programs such as Grad PLUS also help address physician shortages by expanding access to medical education — particularly in rural areas, as rural students are more likely to return to their local communities to practice medicine.
Sustaining and strengthening these loan and forgiveness programs is essential to ensuring America has a robust physician workforce equipped to serve all patients, no matter where they live.”