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Not “Professional” Enough?

What’s going on: Whether you’ve sat in an ER or navigated a hard diagnosis, chances are a nurse probably helped you through it. But nursing advocates warn a new proposal from the Trump administration could deter the next generation of nurses — and deepen the national shortage. As part of a broader student-loan overhaul set to take effect in July 2026, the administration released a draft list of which graduate programs qualify as “professional” — a label that determines how much students of higher education can borrow. Students in medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy would qualify for up to $50,000 a year in loans, with a $200,000 lifetime cap. Nurses (and others left off the list) would face a much stricter limit: $20,500 a year, with a $100,000 lifetime total. Experts note that’s barely a drop in the tuition bucket.

What it means: This rule could shut students out of advanced nursing degrees — and discourage others from pursuing nursing altogether. One professor told CBS it creates real obstacles to growing a workforce often forced to step into critical roles. That’s a problem everywhere, but it’s especially urgent in rural areas, where nurses often fill in when doctors aren’t available. Experts say the ramifications could ultimately lead to fewer providers, longer wait times, and communities left without the care they need.

Related: These Workers Are Willingly Ditching Work From Home. Yes, Really (NYT Gift Link)