20% of med students face food insecurity: Study 

More than 1 in 5 medical students in the U.S. experience food insecurity, pointing to the need for institution and policy-level interventions to support basic student needs, according to a new study led by researchers at New Haven, Conn.-based Yale University School of Medicine. 

The study was published Aug. 29 in JAMA Network Open and is based on survey findings from 1,834 medical students at eight U.S. institutions. Overall, 21.2% reported food insecurity — nearly double the national household average — with higher rates among Black (34.1%), Hispanic (35.6%) and Southeast Asian (35.9%) students, as well as those with dependents and financial need. Food insecurity was also significantly more common among students who relied on federal loans, private loans or scholarships to pay for school, compared to those receiving parental support.

The findings come as newly imposed limits on federal loans for medical students draw concern from healthcare groups. Passed under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the changes will eliminate the Grad PLUS loan program and cap federal loans at $200,000 starting in 2026. Medical school leaders and policy advocates have warned the shift could limit access to medical education and push students away from lower-paying specialties.

“Given the observed association of high debt burden with medical student food insecurity, potentially reflecting rationing behavior by borrowers to minimize further debt, medical schools should consider ways to further support their students, across multiple degree programs, with greater scholarships or via food-centered solutions across the institutions,” the study authors wrote.

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