Federal Loan Policy Change Impact - New policy caps federal loans for graduate and professional programs like medical school at $50,000 per year, with a total limit of $200,000 [3] - Medical schools warn that these changes could discourage students from pursuing medicine, exacerbating the existing physician shortage in the US [3] - Proponents argue that the previous lack of loan limits allowed tuition to rise unchecked, leading to crippling debt for some students [4] Medical Student Debt & Financing - Medical students graduate with an average debt of over $264,000 [2] - The cost of medical school can exceed $300,000 for some programs [3] - Federal loans are crucial for students who cannot afford medical school without financial assistance [2][4] - Private loans are an alternative but may have less flexible repayment options or require a co-signer [3]