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PA Response to Department of Education Proposed Rule Demonstrates Commitment to the Future of Healthcare

March 3, 2026

The public comment period for Department of Education’s (ED) proposed rule Reimagining and Improving Student Education closed at 11:59 p.m. ET last night – with the PA community amplifying a united message until the end.

Yesterday, AAPA lifted the voices of tens of thousands of PAs, PA students, aspiring PAs, and PA supporters through the formal submission of the AAPA-led petition against the ED’s federal loan proposed rule.

In addition, AAPA has delivered nearly 1,700 stories submitted to the AAPA highlighting real life examples of how federal student loans for PA students have been essential to building the PA workforce – and what’s at stake if adequate support is stripped away.

By joining together in this fight, the PA community has demonstrated your strength and unwavering commitment to the future of healthcare.

Since the announcement of the   ED Decision to Place Restrictive Caps on PA Student Loans in early November and throughout the public comment period, the PA community has engaged in a robust show of grassroots advocacy.

  • Over 42,000 individuals signed AAPA’s petition.
  • Approximately 1,700 stories were sent to AAPA.
  • More than 4,500 PAs, PA students, and aspiring PAs took AAPA’s survey, providing critical insight to AAPA formal comments.
  • More than 2,000 comments were submitted to ED through AAPA’s Action Center by PAs, PA students, and future PAs.
  • 13 Constituent Organizations filed comments.
  • More than 230 emails were sent to members of Congress, urging them to reach out to ED.

We’ve made a strong case, but the fight is not over.

AAPA is readying for the next move should the final rule not make the appropriate fix to the student loan limits for PA students. This is a fight for the future of the profession and the patients you serve, and AAPA reaffirms our promise to you: We will not give up.

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