Waiting weeks, sometimes months, to see a doctor is a reality many Americans face. At a time when the country requires more physicians, federal policies might be hindering talented individuals from pursuing this path. New constraints on student borrowing are set to take effect, potentially worsening an already critical shortage of doctors. If not addressed by Congress and the administration, these restrictions could decrease access to healthcare and narrow the future physician pipeline.

Advocates for borrowing limits are aware of valid issues. They claim that unlimited federal lending has inflated tuition costs, prompted excessive borrowing, and shifted financial risks to taxpayers. Additionally, they suggest that colleges need incentives to manage their expenses. These goals make sense.

Yet, medical education stands apart from other graduate programs. The 2025 federal budget reconciliation law restricts medical students to borrowing $50,000 annually and a total of $200,000 during their education, with a $257,500 overall limit on federal borrowing. Though current students might be shielded, these limits will soon impact future applicants who might reconsider medicine as a feasible financial option.

Unlike many graduates, physicians join one of the most workforce-constrained sectors. They undergo supervised residency training and show extremely low student loan default rates. Imposing the same financing model on medical education might fix one issue but cause another: a reduced number of doctors at a time when more are needed.

The Health Resources and Services Administration estimates a shortage exceeding 141,000 physicians by 2038. Many Americans already struggle with accessing primary care, mental health services, and specialized medical attention, particularly in rural and underserved areas. Each practicing physician contributes to healthier communities, economic benefits, and long-term societal improvement.

The financial landscape for medicine has shifted dramatically. A Journal of the American Medical Association study reveals a significant rise in medical students exceeding the new borrowing limits over the past decade. The financing framework set by Congress no longer aligns with current educational costs.

Lowering tuition isn’t a straightforward solution. Medical schools must manage expenses, and numerous institutions are actively doing so. These schools, including my own, ensure tuition increases stay below inflation rates while investing in vital areas like simulation tech and student support. However, tuition only covers part of the overall costs.

Living expenses like housing, food, transportation, health insurance, and childcare have surged. With medical school demanding full-time attention, students scarcely find time for external work. For many, living costs match or exceed tuition fees.

Students fortunate enough to have family wealth or the ability to secure co-signed loans may traverse financial challenges. Others will not. Those most affected are often individuals from rural backgrounds, first-generation college attendees, military veterans, and historically underrepresented communities. With financial barriers deterring them, patients inevitably bear the consequences.

Private lenders attempt to bridge the financing gap, but accessibility is increasingly tied to credit rather than merit or commitment. Opportunities should derive from a student’s capability, character, and dedication, not family wealth or credit availability.

Medical students represent one of the strongest loan investments in higher education. Medical graduates consistently show the lowest student loan default rates, attributed to stable employment and repayment history. Data from the Association of American Medical Colleges demonstrates near-zero default rates among medical school borrowers, whereas federal statistics show a 1.5% default rate for professional degree borrowers.

Although communities, philanthropists, health systems, and universities are working to expand scholarships and create financing programs, these initiatives cannot supplant a reliable federal system.

For decades, American society treated medical education as a public good investment. This principle must persevere despite economic shifts in higher education. To strengthen the physician workforce and enhance healthcare access, there is no need to establish new barriers for students committed to a medical career.

Congress and the administration must review these borrowing limits before they become enduring obstacles in developing much-needed physicians. America has never resolved workforce shortages by complicating entry into professions. Medicine must not become an exception.

About the Author: Marc B. Hahn is the president and CEO of Kansas City University, with over four decades in medical education. A board-certified anesthesiologist and U.S. Army physician, he has dedicated his career to training future doctors.

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