Community Voices

I am training to be an oncologist and hope to work in the southeast United States, where there is both a higher incidence of cancer and lower density of practicing physicians. Without PSLF (Public Service Loan Forgiveness), it will be much more difficult to manage my loan burden. It is important that this funding mechanism be preserved for the good of patients in the United States.

I wanted to be a physician since I was five years old. I became a pediatric endocrinologist and love my field. I was excited when the Affordable Care Act included a provision for 3 years of loan repayment for pediatric subspecialists. This was an excellent idea since we often have lower salaries than general pediatricians despite 3 additional years of training and are often based at academic centers that provide teaching to the next generation of physicians while caring for the underserved. Unfortunately, that provision was never funded so I am now relying on Public Service Loan Forgiveness.

I entered medicine to work with underserved communities. The reality is that to do that work, you often take a considerable pay cut. The interest rates on my federal student loans are much higher than most home and car loans. The Public Service Loan Forgiveness program is one reason why I chose to enter medicine. If we don't keep PSLF (Public Service Loan Forgiveness), many will lose the incentive to work with those who have the greatest need.

I'm the first doctor from a middle class family, and the amount of loans I had to take out to attend medical school is staggering. I am currently a resident and would like to eventually work in an academic center where I can contribute to research and help train the next generation of physicians. Without PSLF, I may be forced to give up that dream and take a job in private practice with a higher salary just to be able to pay off my loans. I also am having to delay potentially having children, because I'm not sure if I could afford to pay for a child while also paying off my staggering debt from medical school. PSLF (Public Service Loan Forgiveness) is very important for keeping a more diverse population in medical school, rather than just a long line of the same sort of people from rich families who can cover their costs.

I am passionate to advocate for patients who are disadvantaged and underserved in medicine. I grew up socioeconomically disadvantaged and in a Spanish-speaking home. I experienced firsthand the disparities that currently exist in the medical field. Because of my background and personal experiences I am eager to be an advocate and positively influence those patients in greater need of a voice. PSLF will provide a feasible pathway for me to be able to provide this service to our constantly changing patient community.

I was born in a small town in Kansas with a population of 2,886. Though my interest in understanding the human body has driven me toward a career in medicine, it was the desire to serve small towns like the one in which I grew up that truly inspired me to embark on the path to becoming a physician. I now am a proud student at an out-of-state medical school, and though my parents help me in every way they can, the massive load of student debt that sits upon my shoulders is a crushing burden. The Public Service Loan Forgiveness program is incredibly important for both myself and all those out there that wish to give back to communities around our country. This program gives us hope that we can both conquer our debts and still serve those in need.