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]

Core Insights - The average time to schedule a physician appointment in 15 major metropolitan areas has increased by 19% since 2022 and by 48% since 2004, now averaging 31 days [1][2][3] Appointment Wait Times - The survey indicates that average wait times for various specialties are as follows: - Obstetrics/Gynecology: 42 days, up 33% since 2022 and up 79% since 2004 [9] - Gastroenterology: 40 days (newly added in 2025) [9] - Dermatology: 36.5 days, up 6% since 2022 and up 50% since 2004 [9] - Cardiology: 33 days, up 23% from 2022 and up 74% since 2004 [9] - Family Medicine: 23.5 days, up 14% since 2022 and up 16% since 2009 [9] - Orthopedic Surgery: 12 days, down 29% since 2022 and down 29% since 2004 [9] Geographic Variations - Boston has the longest average wait time at 65 days, while Atlanta has the shortest at 12 days [4] - Wait times can vary significantly by specialty and metropolitan area, with some appointments taking as long as 291 days for dermatology in Portland, Oregon [6] Physician Acceptance Rates - 82% of physicians in the surveyed metropolitan areas accept Medicare, with Boston having the highest acceptance rate at 94% and Atlanta the lowest at 68% [7] - Only 53% of physicians accept Medicaid, with Detroit having the highest acceptance at 85% and New York the lowest at 28% [7][8] Implications - The increasing wait times for physician appointments indicate a growing shortage of physicians in the U.S., particularly in densely populated areas [3][5]