California’s future doctors will go hungry under Trump’s ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ | Opinion

I spent my gap year before medical school as a health coach in downtown Oakland. I helped unhoused patients apply for food stamps, connect to food banks and troubleshot Meals on Wheels. President Donald Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill” has one of the largest cuts to food stamps in decades — budget cuts that will disproportionately harm the vulnerable communities I worked with. But it’s not only patients who will be harmed, it’s our future doctors as well.

I worked alongside a coalition of medical students across Northern California to release a survey to our medical schools, asking students about their debt burden and their use of government programs like food stamps.

The 326 survey respondents represent students who attend the College of Medicine at California Northstate University, Touro University California, UC Davis School of Medicine and UC San Francisco School of Medicine. According to their answers, 87% of our peers reported currently using food stamps and 46% reported coming from a household making less than $30,000 annually.

About 50% of respondents are either part of a group that is underrepresented in medicine or comes from a medically underserved region. Over half are first-generation college students and less than 45% are half-way done with medical school.

According to the Congressional Budget Office, proposed cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) could total an estimated $300 billion in cuts to food stamp spending.

One classmate anonymously shared their thoughts: “Between numerous medical bills and extra purchases I have to make to manage my disability in addition to being in medical school, finances are already very tight. Having SNAP has eased some of my financial burden and stress and made it possible to eat healthy meals.”

This sentiment is not unique: Many of my classmates share the same sentiment about the freedom that comes with not having to worry about whether you can eat. Having a consistent source of money for food has allowed me to focus on my studies, volunteer in my community and contribute to advocacy and organized medicine. I’m less of a burden on my parents, who have already worked to provide me with an undergraduate education.

There is an argument to be made that medical students can simply take out more loans. After all, they will be making more than enough to pay them back in the future. However, the same bill will severely limit the amount that students can borrow. While the cost of medical school attendance alone may cost up to $390,000 for a four-year program, students will be capped at $250,000 for both their undergraduate and graduate education.

Medical students who can’t afford to survive without support from SNAP will be driven to borrow more or forced to rely on private loans with higher interest rates. It’s simply not sustainable.

Medical students have sacrificed and will continue to sacrifice to be advocates for our communities, to advance health and wellness and to be experts in our fields. We understand the pain that many patients face because we come from the same communities — and many of us share the struggles of our patients. Why make it harder for our future doctors to succeed?

This story was originally published July 1, 2025 at 10:42 AM with the headline "California’s future doctors will go hungry under Trump’s ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ | Opinion."