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We were unable to process your request. Please try again later. If you continue to have this issue please contact customerservice@slackinc.com. Back to Healio Key takeaways: A new rule will eliminate the Graduate PLUS program and establish new federal student loan limits for professional and graduate students. This may make it tougher to address the nation\u2019s primary care shortage. A new rule will dramatically change how medical students can pay for their education, according to an expert. On May 1, the U.S. Department of Education released the Reimagining and Improving Student Education-Federal Student Loan Program Final Regulations (RISE) rule, which goes into effect July 1. The regulations for federal student loan programs will implement statutory changes included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which was signed last July. Those changes include phasing out the Graduate PLUS program and establishing new loan limits for professional students, graduate students and parents.
According to a press release, the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) has engaged with the department following the RISE final rule\u2019s release, and raised concerns regarding certain provisions that might limit federal student loan access for medical students and residents. Healio spoke with Kisha Davis, MD, MPH, FAAFP, president-elect of the AAFP, to learn more about the RISE rule and its impacts on medical students. Healio: What is the RISE final rule? When would it go into effect? Davis: The U.S. Department of Education\u2019s RISE final rule will significantly change how medical students pay for school. Starting July 1, 2026, most federal student loans for students in professional degree programs, including medical students, will be capped at $50,000 per year and $200,000 total. Additionally, the Graduate PLUS loan program, which currently allows medical students to borrow up to the full cost of attendance, will be eliminated. For many students, that means federal loans will no longer cover the full cost of medical school. While the AAFP supports efforts to simplify the student loan system and lower tuition costs for borrowers, we are deeply concerned that parts of the rule will make it harder for students to enter and stay in medical school, worsening existing physician shortages. Healio: How will this rule impact medical students? Davis: Medical school is already expensive, and many students graduate with $200,000 to $250,000 in debt. Under the new borrowing limits, some students will not be able to fully finance their education through federal loans alone. That could force more students to rely on private loans, which often come with higher interest rates and fewer borrower protections. For students from low- and middle-income families, that creates another hurdle to becoming a physician. For instance, while Graduate PLUS loans carry an 8.94% interest rate for 2025 to 2026, private loan rates can exceed 19%, and students with limited credit histories may face even higher borrowing costs. The result is a much steeper financial barrier to pursuing a medical degree. The bottom line is that capping federal student loan borrowing does not reduce tuition costs for medical education but instead shifts financial risk to students, particularly those from low- and middle-income backgrounds who are disproportionately likely to choose primary care careers. Healio: How could this affect the primary care workforce? Davis: Student debt already plays a major role in specialty choice. Family physicians and other primary care doctors generally earn less than many subspecialists, so financing matters. If medical students face higher borrowing costs or greater financial uncertainty, some may decide that primary care simply isn\u2019t financially feasible. That\u2019s deeply concerning at a time when the U.S. is already projected to face a shortage of up to 40,400 primary care physicians by 2036. Patients already, and will continue, to bear the brunt of the primary care workforce shortage, facing longer waiting times, difficulty finding a doctor and even care delays, especially in rural and under-resourced areas. Healio: What is the AAFP doing in response? Davis: The AAFP has urged the Department of Education to reconsider several provisions of the rule. We\u2019ve repeatedly advocated that the department preserve the Graduate PLUS loan program for medical students or create a medical education-specific exception, as well as protect the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. Congress can also help us ensure our primary care physician workforce is not laden with the burden of medical student debt by enacting policies that provide student debt relief for physicians serving in high-need roles. We support legislation like the Resident Education Deferred Interest Act, which allows medical residents to defer their federal student loan interest during their residency. The AAFP also continues to support the National Health Service Corps, a program that offers scholarships or loan repayment as incentives for physicians to work in primary care settings in rural and underserved areas. We firmly believe that efforts to make student loans more affordable shouldn\u2019t make medical school less accessible. Healio: Is there anything primary care physicians can do to help? Davis: Policymakers need to hear directly from physicians about how student debt shapes career decisions in medicine. Family physicians can share their experiences with elected officials, participate in advocacy efforts through organizations like the AAFP, and urge their lawmakers to support policies that expand access to medical education and strengthen the primary care workforce. Healio: What\u2019s the main takeaway? Davis: We have a timely opportunity to support and invest in our future physicians. These are the same people who will provide preventive care, vaccinate families and help us respond to health threats. At a time when the country needs more primary care doctors, policymakers should be focused on expanding access to medical education, not creating new obstacles. Healio: Is there anything else you would like to add? 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