Dear Dr. Subbarao,

     We, the incoming members of the Class of 2030, are excited to begin medical school at William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine (WCUCOM). Many of us chose WCUCOM because of its diverse student body, strong focus on primary care, and supportive faculty and staff. While we remain eager to begin this journey, many of us are deeply concerned, as we applied to medical school under the impression that we would be eligible for Graduate PLUS loans under the existing federal structure.

     The recently enacted federal loan changes create a significant barrier for students entering medical school and disproportionately affects low-income and first-generation students. Many students may not have the credit history necessary to qualify for private loans, and for those who do, private loans are ineligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness, resulting in an exponential accumulation of interest and substantial long-term debt. To illustrate the gravity of this burden, a single private loan of $218,000, which is less than WCUCOM's total cost of attendance, balloons to over $470,000 in total repayments over a standard 15-year term, meaning students pay back more than double what they borrowed. 

     Medical education requires extraordinary financial sacrifice, with WCUCOM's total cost of attendance exceeding $418,000. Without access to Graduate PLUS loans, students will face significant funding gaps in financing their medical education. Some students may be compelled to work during medical school, diverting time and energy away from their studies and potentially resulting in reduced academic engagement and lower board scores. Furthermore, the crushing weight of private loan debt may drive students away from primary care and toward higher-paying specialties solely to manage repayment, directly undermining WCUCOM's mission. We recognize that these challenges are not ours alone. The elimination of Graduate PLUS loans is a burden shared by the faculty and administration who have devoted their careers to training the next generation of physicians. When financial barriers prevent qualified, mission-driven students from entering medicine, it is ultimately patients across Mississippi and beyond who bear the cost through reduced access to primary care and a physician workforce that no longer reflects the communities it serves.

     The new loan structure also directly threatens the diversity WCUCOM has carefully cultivated. While holistic admissions can identify students who embody the "Carey Fit," that process means little if those students cannot afford to enroll. Students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and first-generation students are least likely to have the financial reserves, family wealth, or creditworthy cosigners that other students may rely upon. These changes threaten WCUCOM's efforts to build the diverse student body outlined in its 2024-2029 Strategic Plan, as the very students who best reflect the institution's mission are also the most likely to be priced out of pursuing their education. The downstream consequences of a less diverse physician workforce are well documented. Patients are more likely to seek care from physicians who share their backgrounds and lived experiences, and underrepresented physicians are more likely to practice in underserved communities. Eroding diversity in medical education does not simply affect who becomes a doctor; it deepens existing health disparities and further fractures trust between marginalized communities and the medical system as a whole, a cycle with generational consequences for the health of our most vulnerable populations.

Grandfathering the Class of 2030 into the current loan system would:

1. Preserve the socioeconomic, racial, and ethnic diversity of WCUCOM's incoming Class of 2030, ensuring that students who embody the "Carey Fit" are not turned away simply because they lack generational wealth or access to private financing

2. Lessen the financial burden on incoming students and support long-term retention throughout the program

3. Support students pursuing lower-paying fields such as primary care and rural medicine, directly aligning with WCUCOM's mission and improving health outcomes across the state and the Gulf South

4. Give the Class of 2030 time to collectively advocate at DO Day on the Hill for the reinstatement of Graduate PLUS loans for future incoming medical students

     Notably, many medical schools have already responded to these changes by conducting brief virtual orientations covering basic program guidelines, allowing their incoming students to begin disbursement under the existing loan structure without delay. Several nearby institutions, including the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine (ACOM), Lincoln Memorial University DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine (LMU-DCOM), and Meharry Medical College, have already tailored their orientation dates to ensure their incoming students are grandfathered into the current loan system. For WCUCOM's 200 incoming students, such an adjustment may require just a short virtual orientation, yet it could save each student decades of loan repayment and hundreds of thousands of dollars over the course of their careers. We would like to formally propose that WCUCOM consider hosting a brief virtual orientation in June, prior to the July 1 disbursement deadline, as a practical and low-burden step toward grandfathering the Class of 2030 into the existing loan structure. 

     We understand that any modification to orientation logistics requires meaningful planning and coordination, and we sincerely appreciate the effort that would involve. Many members of our class are willing to be flexible and accommodate whatever adjustments are necessary to make this feasible. This is a challenge we hope to face together, as a class and as a community, alongside the faculty and administration who share our commitment to accessible, diverse, and mission-driven medical education. We respectfully ask that WCUCOM follows suit and grandfathers the Class of 2030 into the existing loan structure. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Members of the Class of 2030 and their supporters