Financial Aid

The cost of medical school is very high and getting higher. In general, medical schools do not consider ability to pay when selecting applicants. They expect that each student will manage to pay for tuition and costs with the help of parents, spouse, and other family members, supplemented predominantly by loans. (Even older, "independent" students must provide parents' financial information.) In 2023, for medical students graduating with debt, the median indebtedness was over $200,000.

As you complete the application process, your main source of information about financial aid will be the financial aid officers of the medical schools you are interested in attending. There is usually a financial aid presentation as part of the interview day. Even if you did not yet get in, begin to fill out the national financial aid form in January and February of your application year. Medical school financial aid officers work closely with medical students to help them find a way to finance their education, and even though you may need to borrow a substantial amount of money, you will be entering a relatively well-compensated profession.

You should look into your credit rating and your parents' credit rating as soon as possible. It might affect your loan application to medical school. If you have credit card or consumer debt, you should pay it off immediately. You can request a copy of your personal credit report for a small fee by contacting one of the following companies:

Trans Union 800-916-8800
Experian 888-397-3742

The AAMC website contains a comprehensive guide to financial planning/financial aid here . The MSAR also contains an excellent chapter about financing a medical education.

The Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship Program and the National Health Service Corps Scholarship Program provide financial support for medical school students in return for service following graduation. Listed below is the contact information for organizations that offer scholarships and/or loan repayment programs:

National Health Services Corp

A program supported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service, the mission of the NHSC is to provide primary health care to medically underserved communities throughout the United States. Their scholarships and loan repayment programs can be used to support education in medicine and dentistry as well as education in other allied health professions. Applications and information are available at the NHSC Web site: http://nhsc.hrsa.gov/loanrepayment/studentstoserviceprogram/index.html

United States Army Health Care Corps

The U. S. Army Health Care Corps is comprised of six corps: Dental Corps, Medical Corps, Medical Service Corps, Medical Specialist Corps, Nurse Corps, and Veterinary Corps.
http://www.goarmy.com/amedd/