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A Strong Nation Starts with a Strong Healthcare Workforce

The Department of Education’s proposed cap on student loans will sharply limit graduate student loan access for future healthcare providers.

Protect the health of our country – invest in the PA workforce by opposing ED’s proposed rule!

What’s at Stake

Across the country, patients are waiting longer for appointments, emergency departments are overwhelmed, and our healthcare workforce is stretched to its limits. PAs (physician associates/assistants) are one of the nation’s most effective solutions to strengthening medical teams and expanding access to care.

However, a recent federal proposal threatens to reverse that progress. If implemented, this policy will create new financial barriers for the next generation of providers at the very moment our system needs them most.

By limiting federal student loan access for PA education, it will be harder for qualified students to enter the healthcare field. This proposal will shrink our already strained workforce pipeline.

Fewer PAs mean…

Longer Wait Times

90% of U.S. adults say PAs increase access to care/make it easier to get medical appointments.

– The Harris Poll

Reduced Healthcare Access in Rural Communities

Rural patients are more likely to receive primary care from PAs and NPs than from physicians.

– MedPAC’s 2024 Report

Higher Costs for American Families

3 in 4 physicians say the PAs they work with provide cost-effective care.

– Morning Consult

Here’s What PAs are Saying

Thousands of PAs and aspiring PAs nationwide have already shared how access to federal loads made it possible for them to pursue this profession. Federal student loans are not a luxury for future clinicians; they are a lifeline for those called to healthcare and for the communities that need more providers.

Expanding federal loan eligibility for physician assistants is not only an investment in individual students; it’s an investment in a more equitable, representative, and compassionate healthcare system.
Shani Denise Fleming, PA, Charlotte, NC

For many of our students, particularly those from rural, first-generation, and underserved backgrounds, federal student loans are the only viable pathway into PA training. Limiting access to these resources creates a barrier not only for students who hope to enter the profession but also for the patients and communities who depend on them.
Brian Lauf, PA, Sparks, NV

By restricting who can access funding, we are not just limiting opportunity, we are widening the gap. We decrease the number of future PAs and healthcare professionals who come from communities like mine, who understand the challenges our patients face because we’ve lived them.
Leondra Craig, PA Student, Queens, NY

Without increased federal student loans, we will lose out on incredible people becoming PAs, especially those from rural areas like me who are passionate about rural healthcare and inspiring the next generation.
Jonathan Hill, PA, Statham, GA

With health outcomes and disparities so high in my home, becoming a PA allows me to make those differences in my community… We need to support our future healthcare workers, not put them at a disadvantage.
Jayden Brewer, PA Student, Campton, KY

I urge the Department of Education to revise this proposal and include PA programs under the definition of “professional programs” eligible for higher federal student loan limits. The future of our profession, our students, and our patients depends on it.
Carly Muñiz, PA, Ellington, CT

Limiting or removing access to student loans would close the door for countless future students who have the drive and talent to join this profession but lack the financial means. Our healthcare system needs diverse, dedicated PAs—and that starts with ensuring that capable students can afford the education required to get there.” higher federal student loan limits. The future of our profession, our students, and our patients depends on it.
Corliss Felder, PA Student, Peachtree Corners, GA

PAs are Essential to America’s Healthcare System

PAs are licensed medical providers who:

  • Deliver high-quality care in every medical setting and specialty across the country
  • Increase healthcare access and reduce wait times
  • Serve as primary care providers in rural and underserved communities
  • Improve efficiency within healthcare systems

Protect the health of our country – invest in the PA workforce by opposing ED’s proposed rule!