MINNEAPOLIS, April 2– Two medical students from the MMA joined hundreds more from across the country to visit Congress urging representatives to protect access to care for America's patients.

The two Minnesota med students taking part in the American Medical Association-sponsored initiative are Nick Zane and Andrew Langstrom, both from Mayo Medical School.

All day Wednesday, med students visited House and Senate offices, focusing on three issues:

• the need to alleviate medical student debt
• the need to cover the uninsured, and
• the need to stop Medicare payment cuts, and preserve access to health care for seniors

The average medical student today graduates with a debt of nearly $140,000. This debt burden too often plays a role in students' career choices, forcing many away from primary care specialties or from practicing in underserved areas.

"We're asking Congress to permanently reinstate the medical student loan deferment program, known as the '20/220 pathway,' so that residents can defer payment on their loans for up to three years during residency training based on economic hardship, said AMA board member Samantha Rosman, MD.

AMA medical students, residents and fellows are in Washington, DC as part of the AMA's National Advocacy Conference, which brings nearly 1,000 physicians, residents and medical students to Washington to advocate for health care reforms for patients and the physicians who care for them.

To voice concern over upcoming Medicare payment cuts, the AMA is also hosting a Medicare rally — a House Call on Congress — on Capitol Hill Wednesday.

AMA news release