The U.S. Department of Education (ED) has proposed a rule that would restrict the educational pathway for essential health care professionals, including physician assistants (PAs), nurse practitioners, certified registered nurses, and other critical clinicians, would be excluded from eligibility for higher federal graduate student loan limits. The rule would impose a $25,000 annual limit, far below the actual cost of these programs, which would make advanced clinical training financially difficult for many Utah students and further strain an already limited workforce. The proposal has been met with bipartisan support.