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LSU Health New Orleans medical students celebrated with friend and family during Match Day where they learned where they will go for residency training at the Audubon Tea Room in New Orleans on Friday, March 17, 2023. Students celebrated together with a brunch beforehand, and at the appointed time, were notified by email. The event is the culmination of months of interviewing for graduating medical students with academic health centers and hospitals that have residency programs. Match Day is when the students and their families find out where they matched and where they will go to complete their graduate medical education. (Photo by Brett Duke, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)

 STAFF PHOTO BY BRETT DUKE

I strongly support the Resident Education Deferred Interest Act, Senate Bill 704 in Congress. This important legislation would help support the physician workforce by allowing student loan borrowers in medical or dental internships or residency programs to defer student loan payments without interest until the completion of their programs.

The high cost of medical education contributes to the physician shortage. Physicians often accumulate immense student debt during their education, and then must undertake several years of residency training with low pay, during which time their student loans accrue significant interest.

This financial burden poses a barrier for students wishing to pursue certain specialties, practice in underserved areas or even enter the health care profession at all. The REDI Act will help alleviate some of the cost of medical and dental education and help address ongoing health care provider shortages to ensure patients can access the care they need.

I urge Sen. Bill Cassidy, Sen. John Kennedy and Rep. Troy Carter to support physicians in training by voting for the REDI Act.

BRADY JOHNSON

New Orleans

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