AMA adopts strategies to help address medical student debt - aim to help relieve physician shortage

The American Medical Association (AMA) today adopted new policy to help address the increasing medical student debt burden at its Annual Meeting.

Over the last 15 years, the cost of a public school medical education has doubled and private school tuition has increased by 133 percent. Upon graduation, the average medical student has a debt of $140,000.

"The overwhelming cost of medical education significantly hinders bright students from considering medical careers," said Chris DeRienzo, M.D., AMA Board Member and 2008 graduate of Duke University Medical School. "As our nation ages and we continue to face a growing physician shortage, the alarming cost of medical school tuition and the debt burden on young physicians must be addressed."

The AMA will support a requirement that medical schools inform students of all government loan opportunities along with private loans, and will require medical schools to disclose why preferred lenders were chosen. New policy also calls on the AMA to support transparency in how medical schools spend increases to students' tuition and fees.

"Medical students deserve to understand how their tuition money is being spent," said Dr. DeRienzo. "Increased transparency with tuition dollars will encourage medical schools to spend money in ways that more directly benefit student learning."