Abstract：
OBJECTIVE: Given the substantial increases in student educational loan debt in recent years, the objective was to assess trends in educational debt-to-income ratios for graduates of pharmacy, medicine, dentistry, optometry, and veterinary medicine programs in the United States in the 2017-2022 period.
METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 2017-2022 data for educational debt and income for select health professions was conducted. Annual income data were collected from the American Community Survey, and educational debt data were collected from health professions organizations. Educational debt-to-income ratios for each health profession were calculated, as was the mean change per year in debt-to-income ratio.
RESULTS: With the exception of medicine, educational debt consistently exceeded income across the selected health professions in the 2017-2022 period. Debt-to-income ratios of pharmacists and the remaining health professionals decreased on average per year between 2017 and 2022. Physicians had the lowest debt-to-income ratios and dentists had the highest debt-to-income ratios in the study period.
CONCLUSIONS: Debt-to-income ratios fell below the 2017 levels for the health professions of interest, suggesting that average growth in income outpaced that of debt for the study period. Regardless, debt remains high and may influence health care professionals\' postgraduate training and career decisions, and in turn affect access to health care. Therefore, a call to action is proposed to address educational debt burden. Several strategies are suggested, including federal policy changes, implementing tuition reductions or minimal increases, facilitating financial aid options, and reducing underlying costs of health professions programs.
METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 2017-2022 data for educational debt and income for select health professions was conducted. Annual income data were collected from the American Community Survey, and educational debt data were collected from health professions organizations. Educational debt-to-income ratios for each health profession were calculated, as was the mean change per year in debt-to-income ratio.
RESULTS: With the exception of medicine, educational debt consistently exceeded income across the selected health professions in the 2017-2022 period. Debt-to-income ratios of pharmacists and the remaining health professionals decreased on average per year between 2017 and 2022. Physicians had the lowest debt-to-income ratios and dentists had the highest debt-to-income ratios in the study period.
CONCLUSIONS: Debt-to-income ratios fell below the 2017 levels for the health professions of interest, suggesting that average growth in income outpaced that of debt for the study period. Regardless, debt remains high and may influence health care professionals\' postgraduate training and career decisions, and in turn affect access to health care. Therefore, a call to action is proposed to address educational debt burden. Several strategies are suggested, including federal policy changes, implementing tuition reductions or minimal increases, facilitating financial aid options, and reducing underlying costs of health professions programs.
摘要：
目标：鉴于近年来学生教育贷款债务的大幅增加，目的是评估药学毕业生教育债务与收入比率的趋势，医学,牙科,验光,和美国2017年至2022年的兽医学计划。
方法：对2017年至2022年部分卫生专业的教育债务和收入数据进行了回顾性分析。年收入数据来自美国社区调查，教育债务数据是从卫生专业组织收集的。计算了每个健康专业的教育债务收入比，债务收入比每年的平均变化也是如此。
结果：除医学外，在2017年至2022年期间，整个制药行业和其他卫生行业的教育债务持续超过收入。在2017年至2022年期间，药剂师和其余卫生专业人员的债务收入比平均每年下降。在研究期间，医生的债务收入比最低，牙医的债务收入比最高。
结论：感兴趣的卫生专业人员的债务收入比低于2017年的水平，这表明在研究期间，收入的平均增长超过了债务的平均增长。无论如何,债务仍然很高，可能会影响医疗保健专业人员的研究生培训和职业决策，并反过来影响获得医疗保健的机会。因此,建议采取行动呼吁解决教育债务负担。建议了几种策略，包括联邦政策的变化，实施学费减免或最低限度的增加，促进财政援助选择，并降低卫生专业计划的基本成本。
方法：对2017年至2022年部分卫生专业的教育债务和收入数据进行了回顾性分析。年收入数据来自美国社区调查，教育债务数据是从卫生专业组织收集的。计算了每个健康专业的教育债务收入比，债务收入比每年的平均变化也是如此。
结果：除医学外，在2017年至2022年期间，整个制药行业和其他卫生行业的教育债务持续超过收入。在2017年至2022年期间，药剂师和其余卫生专业人员的债务收入比平均每年下降。在研究期间，医生的债务收入比最低，牙医的债务收入比最高。
结论：感兴趣的卫生专业人员的债务收入比低于2017年的水平，这表明在研究期间，收入的平均增长超过了债务的平均增长。无论如何,债务仍然很高，可能会影响医疗保健专业人员的研究生培训和职业决策，并反过来影响获得医疗保健的机会。因此,建议采取行动呼吁解决教育债务负担。建议了几种策略，包括联邦政策的变化，实施学费减免或最低限度的增加，促进财政援助选择，并降低卫生专业计划的基本成本。
