On April 28, 2025, Congress released a draft proposal to overhaul the federal student loan system, aiming to add limits to federal student loans, eliminate Grad PLUS loans, and drastically scale back current repayment plans and loan forgiveness options. For 75% of medical students who take out federal loans to pay for medical school, these new proposed rules will stifle the training of future physicians in a nation already facing a physician shortage among a growing and aging population. Congress is also discussing changes to reduce Pell Grants, which help fund undergraduate education for low-income students, including pre-medical students. 

APAMSA’s membership is made up of over 4,500 medical and pre-medical students from across the country, and our national organization opposes these alarming changes that will irrevocably damage medical education financing for tens of thousands of medical students and for the many other health profession students.

We urge students to spend 5 minutes of their time to reach out to their Congressional representative to demand the protection of federal student loans. Please send this to your fellow classmates – more people contacting means higher importance to our representatives.

To find your Representative and Senators, please use the following website: https://www.congress.gov/contact-us 

We have provided scripts that you can use in an email or in a short phone call to deliver your concerns about the proposed changes. Please feel free to adjust these scripts as you wish to better express your concerns. If you have voted for the Congressional representative or senator before, please mention that as a part of your statement. 

Version 1: 

Hi, my name is [NAME] and I’m a constituent from [CITY, ZIP].

Thank you so much for your continued support of our medical students and the future patients they’ll serve, especially in rural and underserved communities. I’m reaching out today not just as a student, but as someone who grew up in [brief personal background] and who relies on the Grad PLUS program to afford medical school. If this option were taken away, students like me would be forced to reconsider whether they can even afford to complete their training—despite our deep commitment to serving communities in need. I remain concerned about proposals to eliminate Grad PLUS or impose borrowing caps below the true cost of medical education. These changes would severely limit access for students from all backgrounds and risk worsening the physician shortage in the very communities that rely on us. I respectfully urge you to continue advocating for policies that protect access to medical education and ensure that future physicians can continue serving the communities that need us most. Thank you again for your leadership and for considering the impact this would have on students like me.

Version 2: 

Hi, my name is [NAME] and I’m a constituent from [CITY, ZIP].

I’m calling to urge [REP/SEN NAME] to protect funding for the federal student loan program and oppose the elimination of Grad PLUS loans and other loan repayment options. As a [medical student/pre-medical student] at [your school], access to federal student loans are crucial to the training of America’s future physicians. In order to provide the best care to our patients across the nation, we must be supported in our education.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

IF LEAVING VOICEMAIL: Please leave your full street address to ensure your call is tallied.