Major changes to deferment and forbearance will start July 1, 2027

Federal student loans are facing a major overhaul after the passage of the听听in July 2025. Along with altering repayment plans and adjusting borrowing limits, this Act is changing the rules for deferment and forbearance.

听补苍诲听听are two protections that let borrowers postpone federal student loan payments if you run into financial hardship, go back to school, or have another qualifying reason. They鈥檙e often a last resort, since interest keeps accruing on most loan types while payments are paused.

However, they can be a lifeline if you鈥檇 otherwise miss payments and go into default. With the new rules, new borrowers with student loans issued on or after July 1, 2027 will face stricter rules around using deferment and forbearance.

1. Deferment for unemployment and economic hardship is going away

Under the current system, you can defer student loan payments if you鈥檙e experiencing economic hardship, unemployment, or another eligible circumstance. If you qualify for economic hardship or unemployment deferment, you can pause your student loan payments for up to three years.

The new legislation eliminates deferment for unemployment and economic hardship for federal student loans issued on or after July 1, 2027. Existing loans should still be eligible, but if you borrow after that date, you can no longer defer loan payments if you lose your job or face financial trouble.

If you have subsidized student loans, interest won鈥檛 accrue on your loans while they鈥檙e in deferment. This benefit means your balance won鈥檛 grow while payments are paused. Interest does accrue on other loan types, like Direct unsubsidized loans and听.

You can still use deferment for other reasons, such as going back to school, enrolling in a graduate fellowship program, undergoing treatment for cancer, or serving on active military duty.

2. Forbearance timeframe will be shorter

Forbearance, another option for postponing federal student loan payments, will also be more restricted for loans issued on or after July 1, 2027. Currently, there are two main types of forbearance:

• General forbearance:听You can request this type of forbearance if you鈥檙e experiencing financial challenges, a change in employment, medical expenses, or another reason. It鈥檚 up to your loan servicer whether or not to grant your request.
• Mandatory forbearance:听Your loan servicer is required to grant your forbearance request if you have an eligible reason, like serving in the National Guard, joining AmeriCorps, or working a medical or dental internship or residency.

For borrowers who already have a federal student loan, if you qualify for forbearance, you can pause your federal student loan payments for up to 12 months at a time. There鈥檚 a limit on general forbearances of three years, while mandatory forbearances can continue as long as you remain eligible.

Under the new rules, the amount of time that borrowers can use forbearance will shrink. Instead of 12 months, forbearances will be capped at nine months total within any 24-month period. This tighter cap will mean borrowers can no longer rely on forbearance for long-term financial relief.

Who will these changes impact?

These changes will impact future federal student loan borrowers, specifically those who take out loans after July 1, 2027. That may include undergraduates, graduate students, and parent borrowers planning for the 2027 to 2028 academic year or after.

If that includes you, you鈥檒l face more restricted options for payment relief if you lose your job or experience financial challenges down the road. You may need to explore alternative options for听听if you鈥檙e worried about falling behind.

If you already have federal student loans, you should retain access to the current forbearance and deferment protections. However, if you consolidate your loans after July 1, 2027, your new consolidation loan may be subject to the new rules.

What are some alternative ways to get student loan relief?

With upcoming restrictions to payment pause options, you may be wondering about alternative ways to get student loan relief. A couple options include:

• Forbearance instead of deferment:听While new loans won鈥檛 qualify for deferment if you run into financial hardship or lose your job, you may still be granted a general forbearance by your loan servicer. The downsides are that general forbearance isn鈥檛 guaranteed and interest accrues across all loan types. Plus, the new timeframe will be restricted. However, pausing payments even for a short time may be what you need to get back on your feet and avoid delinquency.
• Income-driven repayment:听Income-driven plans adjust your monthly payments in accordance with your income. Current options include PAYE, Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR), and Income-Based Repayment (IBR), though PAYE and ICR will be eliminated by mid-2028 or sooner. A new income-driven plan called the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) will also be available on July 1, 2026. Your monthly payments could be as low as $0 on the current plans or $10 on RAP, and you could eventually get your balance forgiven at the end of your repayment term.

You may also explore options for听, such as the Teacher Loan Forgiveness or Public Service Loan Forgiveness programs.

Plan ahead for changing federal student loan rules

Deferment and forbearance provide a safety net during tough times If you already have federal student loans, you can use the same protections moving forward. But if you take out new loans or consolidate your federal student loans after July 2027, you鈥檒l face fewer and more limited options for pausing your payments.

At any time, if you鈥檙e having a financial hardship or trouble making your monthly loan payments, you should reach out to your student loan servicer to discuss your options which may include deferment, forbearance, or adjusting your repayment plan.

Make sure to review your loan disbursement dates so you know which rules apply. By familiarizing yourself with the upcoming changes, you can plan ahead to protect your financial future.

The post College Ave: Student Loan Relief Is Getting Harder to Access. What’s Changing in 2027 appeared first on 麻豆原创.

Language access in healthcare is a fundamental clinical skill, vital for the quality, safety, and efficiency of patient care. For the nation鈥檚 41 million Spanish speakers, preventable barriers often lead to delayed diagnosis, complicated treatment, and eroded trust.

Closing the Gap in Medical Spanish

CanopyLearn is an NIH-supported Medical Spanish eLearning program designed to create a pipeline of qualified bilingual staff. Built exclusively for healthcare, its curriculum goes beyond vocabulary and grammar, integrating medical terminology, cultural competency, and realistic patient-provider dialogues to support genuine clinical communication.

Why Qualified Bilingual Staff are Essential

Qualified bilingual clinicians are key to continuity of care. They:

• Reduce avoidable delays by not depending on constant interpreter availability.
• Enhance accuracy in critical patient information like symptom and medication histories.
• Improve rapport and trust, leading to better patient adherence and more efficient visits.
• Support interpreter workflows by managing low-risk interactions in Spanish and knowing when to escalate to a certified interpreter.

Investing in bilingual staff consistently improves outcomes across the domains of the Language Access Index (LAI), an NIH-funded benchmarking tool.

Research-Backed Foundation: The Language Access Index (LAI)

The LAI, developed from stakeholder interviews and a systematic review of over 200 empirical studies, identifies 10 core domains for reliable, safe, and cost-effective language access. Organizations with CanopyLearn-trained staff are better positioned to achieve faster workflows, greater patient satisfaction, and fewer communication-related safety events, driving a clear ROI.

Skill Building as an Efficiency and ROI Strategy

CanopyLearn boosts operational efficiency by equipping clinicians to handle routine, low-risk Spanish interactions (greetings, comfort statements, simple explanations) without delay. These smooth micro-exchanges accelerate the entire workflow, from pre-arrival to discharge, reducing interruptions and errors. The course supports busy schedules with audio role-play, a medical Spanish telenovela (El Puente del Destino), and mobile microlearning.

Measurable Returns on Investment

The ROI is evident in:

• Higher patient satisfaction within Spanish-speaking communities.
• Reduced operational friction and fewer workflow delays.
• Lower rework and fewer communication breakdowns, improving safety.
• Enhanced trust and loyalty, which boost retention.

CanopyLearn is a strategic investment in bilingual workforce capacity, patient trust, and the operational excellence essential for modern healthcare.

Next Step: Executive Leadership in Language Access

Organizations can scale these benefits with our forthcoming Executive Training Program, which teaches leaders how to operationalize language access across governance, workflow, automation, financial modeling, and systemwide ROI.

To learn more, contact Dru at: dbhattacharya@withcanopy.com

The post CanopyLearn: Bridging Communication Gaps appeared first on 麻豆原创.

AMSAAbortion Care & Reproductive Justice Institutes – Summer 2026

Four In-person Learning Opportunities the Summer in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville, NC!

Summer 2026 鈥� Applications Open Now 鈥� Seats Limited!

Four Date Options in Summer 2026:
May 14 – 17 (Summer A)
June 11 – 14 (Summer B)
July 30 – August 2 (Summer C)
August 20 – 23 (Summer D)

No cost for selected applicants 鈥� Scholarships cover ALL expenses
Apply Today!

If YOU are a medical student based in the U.S., an AMSAmember* and YOU, like 麻豆原创, believe:

• reproductive health services, including abortion care, are essential to comprehensive health care,
• legal, safe, voluntary abortions should be available to all who need them, regardless of how much they earn, who they work for, or what state they live in, and
• both Undergraduate Medical Education (UME) and Graduate Medical Education (GME) programs should offer abortion education and training.

If YOU uphold the fundamental principles of reproductive justice:**

• the right to have children,
• the right to not have children, and
• the right to nurture the children we have in a safe and healthy environment.

If YOU are interested in becoming part of a diverse physician workforce that includes highly skilled, culturally sensitive physicians prepared to provide abortion services to those who need them in various health care workplaces.

And, YOU are available ANY of these four date options:

• May 14 – 17 (Summer A)
• June 11 – 14 (Summer B)
• July 30 – August 2 (Summer C)
• August 20 – 23 (Summer D)

READ ON!

The AMSAAbortion Care & Reproductive Health Project is excited to host 4 in-person Abortion Care & Reproductive Justice Institutes this summer.
Each Institute will engage 10 U.S. based medical students in thought-provoking, dynamic conversations, as well as issue education, and hands-on clinical skill-building, with key experts working in abortion care, reproductive health and education, research, or reproductive and social justice.

Our retreat-like setting is a beautiful private location nestled deep in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

The Institutes are designed to provide deep dive opportunities to build knowledge, skills, and connections in a supportive, nurturing and Love-centered community, with a focus on finding and connecting with joy as we work on challenging issues facing our communities and future practice as physicians.

Clinical skill-building sessions will include a MVA “papaya” workshop and values-clarification training.

We will explore the impact of the Dobbs decision on reproductive health access, practice and policies at the state level, as well as medication abortion and self-managed abortion. Learning opportunities will also include:

• effective messaging communications
• networking and advocacy training
• building power and your circles of influence
• identifying and engaging reproductive freedom champions in your state
• values-based research and using data to make change.

The AMSAReproductive Health Project provides resources and on-going support to organize local education and skill-building sessions for future physicians around the United States.
Institute participants will be encouraged and supported to share the knowledge and skills they will gain through research project posters, journal articles, blog posts, social media, or organizing local events during the 2025-2026 academic year. Local events could include, but are not limited to: clinical skills-building, networking and advocacy training, issue education, understanding state reproductive health policies, and values-based messaging and research.

The program begins on Thursday evening with a group dinner and ends after breakfast on Sunday morning. In addition to didactic and clinical workshop-style learning, there will be ample time for informal conversations, delicious meals and snacks, walking in the woods, star-gazing, and relaxing in the hot-tubs and around the fire. Each participant will have their own bedroom, some bathrooms will be shared. Meals will be prepared together.

• Want to know more about what an AMSARepro Institute is really like?
  Read what a M4 student who joined us last summer had to say about the experience
  Recharging Your Medical Passion: The Power of a Retreat
  Why Every Medical Student Should Do a Medical Retreat (for any specialty)

Successful applicants will receive reimbursements (up to $600) to cover their travel expenses (students make their own travel arrangements). All meals, on-site training supplies, and transportation from the to the retreat location are provided at no cost.

DEADLINES:

• Application deadline for ALL 2026 Institutes is Sunday, March 29 at 11:59pmPT
• Applicants are accepted on a rolling basis and will be notified of acceptance at least 30 days before the Institute they are selected for
• Selected applicant must confirm attendance within 7 days of notification of their selection

Upon completion of the Institute, certificates of participation to add to your CV will be provided.

Applications Open Now 鈥� Seats Limited
Apply Today!

###

For more information email rhp@amsa.org

*AMSAmembership info link
**Source –

The post 4 Amazing Summer 2026 Adventures in Learning with the AMSAReproductive Health Project – Apply Today appeared first on 麻豆原创.

The AMSAWellness and Student Life Action Committee
is honored to host the
National Suicide Prevention Week听 – September 8鈥�13, 2025

We鈥檝e lined up three powerful virtual sessions with incredible speakers, and we鈥檇 love for you to join us:

September 8 | 6:00 PM EST

Opening + Awareness 鈥� Let鈥檚 Talk AMSAIt!

Speakers: Dr. Amna Shabbir (TEDx Speaker) & Bhairavi (Domestic Violence Advocate)

Join us for the opening of National Suicide Prevention Awareness Week with an honest conversation on mental health in medicine鈥攖he challenges, the silence, and the reality we often overlook. Featuring insights from the WSL team and a special guest speaker, this session sets the stage for hope and awareness.

September 10 | 6:00 PM EST

Speak Your Heart: You Are NOT Alone

听A safe space circle to share experiences, reduce isolation, and foster emotional connection.听

听NOTE: This session will not be recorded to protect privacy.

September 13 | 6:00 PM EST

Mental Health on the Move: Breathe. Feel. Release.

听A guided meditation and wellness session led by Erin Christian Law (they/them).

Announcement of the Voice for Hope competition winners, followed by a presentation of their work. The event will conclude with closing remarks.

We invite all interested premed and medical students, to come together in raising awareness for this vital cause. We also encourage local chapters to organize their own events鈥攕uch as distributing purple ribbons, hosting discussions, or creating unique activities. All AMSAchapters that participate and post will receive special recognition and incentives.听

Sign up HERE and to receive the event links:

Together, let鈥檚 create space for hope, healing, and connection.听

Please join us & share this post!

Explore AMSAWellness & Student Life Action Committee

The post Sept 8鈥�13 is National Suicide Prevention Week – Join Powerful Sessions AMSAWellness & Student Life appeared first on 麻豆原创.

SPOTLIGHT ON ABORTION CARE & REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE听

Justice is a Journey; Hope is Each Step We Take in Spite of it All

Written by Jeff Koetje, MD, AMSAReproductive Health Programming Strategist

鈥淛eff, that鈥檚 white supremacy thinking; justice is never just one-and-done. It鈥檚 always on-going and always returning.
Justice is a journey, not a destination.鈥�

That was exactly the truth I didn鈥檛 know I needed to hear in the first full week of 2025.

Last week, my first week back to work after a two week end-of-year break, I was in a conversation with , whom I first met a few years ago when she was the Director of Spiritual Care and Activism for the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (now the ). Dr. Cari has spoken several times in various programs of the AMSAReproductive Health Project, and even co-facilitated a recent in-person retreat for AMSAstaff and national student leaders. Since coming to know AMSAthrough these engagements, she is a passionate supporter and advocate for the work we do as a student-led organization taking action at the intersection of medical education, health justice, and youth-led movement-building for social transformation.

Dr. Cari and I were talking about how we are approaching 2025, and our feelings about what this year will likely bring under the second Trump administration. I said something to the effect that I can鈥檛 believe that here we are again, facing renewed threats to and likely regression of human rights and civil liberties under the incoming administration that has pretty clearly demonstrated its intent to undo as much as possible the social progress gained over the past 75+ years in the post-World War period. And then I said, with an exasperated tone, 鈥淒idn鈥檛 we already fight this fight?!鈥�

And that鈥檚 when she laid down the truth, in loving correction,
鈥淛eff, that鈥檚 white supremacy thinking; justice is never just one-and-done.
It鈥檚 always on-going and always returning. Justice is a journey, not a destination.鈥�

As soon as her words reached my ears, they went straight to my heart, and I recognized – in that deep, embodied way – that what she was speaking was the kind of truth that has sacred significance, like spoken scripture. (By the way, this is why I seek to surround myself with deeply spiritual and spiritually 鈥渢uned-in鈥� people – as much as I seek to surround myself with deep thinkers and deep feelers!)

And of course, she鈥檚 correct, both from a historical perspective as well as from a philosophical one. From the historical perspective, we can easily see the long and unbroken chain that connects today鈥檚 freedom fighters to the good ancestors of past resistance, freedom, and liberation movements. As my Repro Project colleague, Becky Martin, frequently says,

鈥淲e [who are working to advance freedom and justice today] stand on the shoulders of giants
[those who have worked to advance freedom and justice through every period of human existence].

How reassuring – and how relieving – to know that no effort toward freedom, justice, or liberation starts or ends with me, me alone. Or, with you, you alone. The generous invitation of the human-history-long work of freedom fighting and justice making, is, quite literally, jump in wherever you are, in whatever time period of human experience you find yourself, because there鈥檚 always something to be reimagined, remade, or transformed; there鈥檚 always something you can do to make a meaningful contribution to the work of transforming the material conditions of human societies to be more just, more fair, more loving so that everyone has what they need to thrive and flourish in their lives. Martin Luther King Jr. talked about manifesting Beloved Community. He was assassinated, for daring to call the nation to a higher conscience, but the interrelated movements for racial justice and economic justice obviously did not end with his death.

But here鈥檚 the thing, and here鈥檚 the temptation, and here鈥檚 the error in my thinking that Dr. Cari gently pointed out to me: movements for justice and collective liberation are never just linear, in the way that a superficial view of history might lead one to believe (鈥淒idn鈥檛 we already fight this fight?!鈥�). Movements for justice and collective liberation are always moving in much more complex, non-linear ways. In fact, perhaps a more accurate – or at least, better – way to represent the 鈥減rogression鈥� of movements for justice and collective liberation is a three-dimensional spiral. What鈥檚 interesting about spirals – and a useful analogy for our purposes here – is that they create a trajectory of 鈥渘on-returning returns鈥�: as you follow the path of a spiral, you will come back around, but you will not come back around to the exact point that you had started from, hence, 鈥渘on-returning returns鈥�. Another way to understand this is to consider the aphorism:

History never repeats itself, but it does often rhyme.

Philosophically considering the progression of movements for justice and collective liberation more as a 3-D spiral, always turning even as it always steps forward, we can better hold the hard truth that advances in justice and collective liberation are never one-and-done. There is always more that we need to return to, to take back up, to pick up where others left off, to reassess and reconsider our understanding of human dignity, human rights, and human liberty. And yes, sometimes (many times) in the path of progression of the ever-expanding spiral of the movement for justice and collective liberation, we encounter losses, and setbacks, and regressions, and fights that we have fought already, but now must fight again.

And so, here we are, just a few days from Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, which, this year, also happens to coincide with the second inauguration of Donald Trump and the formation of an overtly and aggressively authoritarian administration. But none of this is new: authoritarian and despotic regimes have risen and fallen throughout human history. The good news is that nothing – and I mean nothing – of human invention has yet to outlive the ever-enduring spark in the human spirit – our universal and inalienable dignity – that compels us to keep striving toward justice and collective liberation, toward Beloved Community, in the way that Rev. Dr. King described. Justice is indeed a journey of unending, non-returning returns, and in the company of the good ancestors who kept taking steps, no matter what and in spite of it all, we must do the same. Because, Beloved Community isn鈥檛 the destination, it鈥檚 what we become, on the journey, if we鈥檙e willing to keep at it.

###

*Note: an excerpt of this Spotlight is included in AMSAReproductive Health Project eNews #36:
听Jan. 18, 2025
Find the current and past issues in the AMSARepro eNews Archive.

Explore the AMSAReproductive Health Project
Find news, tips, tools, opportunities听 & more!

for AMSARepro Project Updates

The post Justice is a Journey; Hope is Each Step We Take in Spite of it All appeared first on 麻豆原创.

The AMSAAbortion Care & Reproductive Justice Institutes are back live & in-person
this summer in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville, NC!

Summer 2025 鈥� Applications Open Now 鈥� Seats听Limited!

Four Date Options in Summer 2025:
May 29 – June 1 (Summer A)
June 19 – 22 (Summer B)
July 24 – 27 (Summer C)
August 14 – 17 (Summer D)

No cost for selected applicants 鈥� Scholarships cover ALL expenses
Apply Today!

If YOU are a medical student based in the U.S., an AMSAmember* and YOU, like 麻豆原创, believe:

• reproductive health services, including abortion care, are essential to comprehensive health care,
• legal, safe, voluntary abortions should be available to all who need them, regardless of how much they earn, who they work for, or what state they live in, and
• both Undergraduate Medical Education (UME) and Graduate Medical Education (GME) programs should offer abortion education and training.

If YOU uphold the fundamental principles of reproductive justice:**

• the right to have children,
• the right to not have children, and
• the right to nurture the children we have in a safe and healthy environment.

If YOU are interested in becoming part of a diverse physician workforce that includes highly skilled, culturally sensitive physicians prepared to provide abortion services to those who need them in various health care workplaces.

And, YOU are available ANY of these four date options:

• May 29 – June 1 (Summer A)
• June 19 – 22 (Summer B)
• July 24 – 27 (Summer C)
• August 14 – 17 (Summer D)

READ ON!

The AMSAAbortion Care & Reproductive Health Project is excited to host 4 in-person Abortion Care & Reproductive Justice Institutes this summer.
Each Institute will engage 10 U.S. based medical students in thought-provoking, dynamic conversations, as well as issue education, and hands-on clinical skill-building, with key experts working in abortion care, reproductive health and education, research, or reproductive and social justice.

Our retreat-like setting is a beautiful private location nestled deep in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

The Institutes are designed to provide deep dive opportunities to build knowledge, skills, and connections in a supportive, nurturing and Love-centered community, with a focus on finding and connecting with joy as we work on challenging issues facing our communities and future practice as physicians.

Clinical skill-building sessions will include a MVA “papaya” workshop and values-clarification training.

We will explore the impact of the Dobbs decision on reproductive health access, practice and policies at the state level, as well as medication abortion and self-managed abortion. Learning opportunities will also include:

• effective messaging communications
• networking and advocacy training
• building power and your circles of influence
• identifying and engaging reproductive freedom champions in your state
• values-based research and using data to make change.

The AMSAReproductive Health Project provides resources and on-going support to organize local education and skill-building sessions for future physicians around the United States.
Institute participants will be encouraged and supported to share the knowledge and skills they will gain through research project posters, journal articles, blog posts, social media, or organizing local events during the 2025-2026 academic year. Local events could include, but are not limited to: clinical skills-building, networking and advocacy training, issue education, understanding state reproductive health policies, and values-based messaging and research.

The program begins on Thursday evening with a group dinner and ends after breakfast on Sunday morning. In addition to didactic and clinical workshop-style learning, there will be ample time for informal conversations, delicious meals and snacks, walking in the woods, star-gazing, and relaxing in the hot-tubs and around the fire. Each participant will have their own bedroom, some bathrooms will be shared. Meals will be prepared together.

• Want to know more about what an AMSARepro Institute is really like?
  Read what a M4 student who joined us last summer had to say about the experience
  Recharging Your Medical Passion: The Power of a Retreat
  Why Every Medical Student Should Do a Medical Retreat (for any specialty)

Successful applicants will receive reimbursements (up to $600) to cover their travel expenses (students make their own travel arrangements). All meals, on-site training supplies, and transportation from the to the retreat location are provided at no cost.

DEADLINES:

• Application deadline for ALL 2025 Institutes is Sunday, April 27 at 11:59pmPT
• Applicants are accepted on a rolling basis and will be notified of acceptance at least 30 days before the Institute they are selected for
• Selected applicant must confirm attendance within 7 days of notification of their selection

Upon completion of the Institute, certificates of participation to add to your CV will be provided.

Applications Open Now 鈥� Seats Limited
Apply Today!

###

For more information email rhp@amsa.org

*AMSAmembership info link
**Source –

The post Summer Special! 4 Amazing Adventures in Learning with the AMSAReproductive Health Project – Apply Today appeared first on 麻豆原创.

SPOTLIGHT ON ABORTION CARE & REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE BOOK REVIEW听听

What Addicted. Pregnant. Poor. Teaches Us AMSAReproductive Justice

Written by Araam Abboud, AMSAReproductive Health Project Intern

In the United States, substance use among pregnant and parenting individuals often goes unrecognized and untreated due to misconceptions and systemic barriers. Within this landscape鈥攚here legal threats, stigma, and disproportionate harm to non-White families persist – Kelly Ray Knight鈥檚 Addicted. Pregnant. Poor. (2015) examines pregnant individuals in San Francisco鈥檚 Mission District, amplifying their voices and showing how poverty, racism, and punitive policies shape their reproductive lives far more than any single 鈥渃hoice鈥� to use substances. Knight鈥檚 work aligns closely with reproductive justice principles, emphasizing the right to have children, not have children, and raising children in safe, supportive environments. Her findings demonstrate that decisions around pregnancy rarely happen in isolation but instead, unfold within systems of inequity. When healthcare providers use stigmatizing terms like 鈥渁ddict鈥� or 鈥渟ubstance abuser,鈥� they foster climates of fear and blame. Knight鈥檚 account of ‘Tina,’ who avoided telling healthcare providers about her substance use because she feared losing custody of her child, shows how stigma and punitive assumptions can shut down honest communication.

If providers used person-first language (e.g., pregnant person with a substance use disorder) and created a more respectful, understanding environment,
patients like Tina would be more likely to seek help without fearing judgment or reprisal.
This shift in language and attitude can foster trust, ensuring that those needing care feel safe,
rather than threatened, when they reach out for support.

Nearly a decade later, Cecily May Barber and Mishka Terplan (2023) confirm these barriers remain. Despite growing awareness and research, care models for pregnant and parenting individuals who use substances often remain punitive and fragmented. Both Knight and Barber and Terplan emphasize that these patients are not 鈥渞efusing鈥� care but instead encounter systems that are either inaccessible or dangerous. Everyday challenges, such as finding transportation or childcare, often become insurmountable barriers, leaving patients without reliable treatment pathways. This highlights a need to rethink how care is delivered to meet patients where they are.

Barber and Terplan advocate for harm-reduction approaches that acknowledge patients鈥� unique circumstances, focusing on incremental progress rather than immediate abstinence. Tools like the 4Ps Plus allow providers to identify substance use risks in a nonjudgmental way, fostering open communication and trust. Knight鈥檚 ethnography further emphasizes addressing underlying inequities by integrating stable housing, mental health services, and culturally informed care into healthcare systems. These supports are especially crucial for patients like 鈥淟isa,鈥� who use substances as a coping mechanism for unresolved trauma. Co-locating perinatal and addiction services, offering transportation support, and partnering with community organizations can help break down the barriers that prevent patients from receiving compassionate, effective care. The lessons from Knight鈥檚 work and Barber and Terplan’s evidence-based recommendations provide a roadmap for improving reproductive healthcare. Making care more accessible includes replacing stigmatizing terms with respectful language, implementing nonjudgmental screening tools, and addressing practical barriers such as transportation and childcare. By adopting trauma-informed, harm-reduction approaches, providers can create environments where patients feel supported rather than judged.

As healthcare providers, policymakers, advocates, and students, we all have a role to play in building equitable care systems. This work begins by reflecting on our language, questioning policies that punish rather than heal, and advocating for accessible care models that meet the needs of all patients. By applying the insights from Knight鈥檚 ethnography and Barber and Terplan鈥檚 recommendations, we can move beyond outdated punitive frameworks and build systems that foster dignity, equity, and healing. Together, we can create environments where pregnant and parenting people who use substances feel seen, supported, and valued, ensuring that everyone can thrive.

References:
Barber, C. M., & Terplan, M. (2023). Principles of care for pregnant and parenting people with substance use disorder: The obstetrician gynecologist perspective.
Frontiers in Pediatrics, 11, 1045745.

Warren, N. (2018). Knight, K.R. Addicted. Pregnant. Poor. Durham, NC: Duke University Press. 2015. 拢21 (pbk) ISBN 978-0822359968 拢70 (hbk) ISBN 978-0822359531.
Sociology of Health & Illness, 40(3), 597-598.

*Note: an excerpt of this Spotlight is included in AMSAReproductive Health Project eNews #35: 2025 is Here! Find Connections, News & Resources, Jan 4 2025
Find the current and past issues in the AMSARepro eNews Archive.

Explore the AMSAReproductive Health Project
Find news, tips, tools, opportunities听 & more!

for AMSARepro Project Updates

The post What Addicted. Pregnant. Poor. Teaches Us AMSAReproductive Justice appeared first on 麻豆原创.

What’s Next Is What We Make It

AMSANational President鈥檚 Statement on 2024 Election

Hi future doctor, Annelise here.

I鈥檓 writing to you and honestly, I鈥檓 not quite sure how to articulate all of my emotions as we face an upcoming four years of uncertainty. When it comes to leadership, especially student-led organizational leadership, we often grapple with how to lead when you鈥檙e not quite sure what鈥檚 next. For our national leaders, our chapter leaders, and all of us as future and current physicians,听 the question is now鈥� what鈥檚 next? Regardless of how you voted during this election, there are still pressing concerns that we, as the future of healthcare, need to reckon with: affordability+accessibility of healthcare, climate sustainability, mental health, gun violence, abortion rights and women鈥檚 health鈥� the list goes on.

Over the next four years, in a major way, we will听 inherit the healthcare system that is forged and changed by this election. All of you are going through your training, me included, and developing into the kind of physician you will become and the leader you will be听 in your community. Over the next four years you will, quite literally, learn how to stand between life and death not only in the hospital听 room, but also beyond it. You will take an oath, whether to serve as a student doctor or as a fully-fledged physician, and be charged with doing no harm regardless of your political or personal beliefs. You will be scrutinized, tokenized, and some of you will choose to risk your livelihoods and licenses because of your beliefs and commitment to this profession. To become a physician in this day and age takes a tremendous amount of courage, patience, and grit. It also takes a tremendous amount of privilege and opportunity that we, as future physicians, can use to continue to fight for our patients and our profession. Regardless of who is in the White House, our fight happens day in and day out, patient by patient, family by family. If you鈥檙e anything like me, that鈥檚 exactly why you chose to dedicate your life to this work.

Medicine is not sexy, it is not easy, but oh is it worth it. We bring a lens to the medical profession听 that our predecessors cannot possibly fathom. So, it is up to us to use our voices to help them, our patients, and our communities understand the dangers we see coming. We have faced crises like this before; standing up for our values unapologetically is something that we at AMSAknow a thing or two about. AMSAwas forged in the fire of the VietNam War alongside the vision for and the values found within the .听

Today, I hope you鈥檙e taking the time to process and be with yourself and your loved ones. I wish I had the answers as to what鈥檚 next, but I can promise you that AMSAis, and will continue to be, the place you can come home to find your people and your voice. It鈥檚 been 75 years of us standing up for each other and our patients, and we鈥檙e not about to stop now.听

To those of us who are scared, angry, outraged, saddened, exhausted鈥攚e see you, I see you, and we鈥檙e here with you. We have put together a whole host of resources to help you navigate through this time (see below) and we are working on ways we can share and be in community together鈥� stay tuned. Know you are not alone! We will regroup and find the strength to carry on towards our founding vision of a high-quality, affordable, and sustainable health care system that puts people (patients and providers) ahead of profits and ensures all have access to the care they need 鈥� regardless of how much they earn, who they work for, or what state they live in.听

For those of you looking to do something right now consider:

• Sign & share the to implement the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and join me in calling on the United States government and private sector organizations to promote the Universal Declaration of Human Rights听
• Join one of the AMSAAction Committees here听
• Sign up for the AMSAReproductive Health Project enewsletter that is filled with useful information and action opportunities .
• Check out from the AMSAWellness and Student Life Action Committee

In 1961, President John Kennedy posed to the generation of AMSAfounders 鈥�Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.鈥� Join us at AMSAbecause now it鈥檚 our turn.听

Annelise

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SPOTLIGHT ON ABORTION CARE & REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE听

Stay Connected – to Resources, Community, and Radical Hope for Reproductive Freedom and Justice
– through the AMSAReproductive Health Project!

Written by Jeff Koetje, MD, AMSAReproductive Health Programming Strategist

Greetings from all of us at the (AMSARHP)! With the start of the new academic year well under way, we are excited to share with you what we have planned for 2024-2025. But before we get into that, let鈥檚 pause to acknowledge that we are just a few days away from Election Day here in the US (Tuesday, Nov 5), and this year, reproductive rights are a central issue in the federal election and abortion rights, specifically, are on the ballot in 10 states. We encourage everyone who can, and everyone who is eligible, to get out and vote if you haven鈥檛 already, and we encourage you to invite your friends and family to do the same! We know that regardless of the outcomes of the imminent elections and ballot initiatives, the work of protecting and advancing reproductive health, rights, and justice must continue.听

Who we鈥檙e for and what we鈥檙e about:听

We also know that future physicians – that鈥檚 you! – have important roles to play in the movements for reproductive freedom and justice. And we鈥檙e here to support and help you figure out what that can look like for you. The AMSARepro Project – and 麻豆原创, overall – invites reproductive freedom dreamers and doers, like you, to consider us as one of your home bases for relevant and timely information, resources, connections to a growing network of activated medical and premedical students, and spaces for organizing for collective action. We work to nurture and support the next generation of physician abortion providers and the next generation of physician-advocates for reproductive health, rights, and justice. We are here for you – whether you are a premedical or medical student AMSAmember, an AMSAChapter Officer, or an AMSANational Leader!听

Read on to learn more about the AMSARHP and how you, your AMSAchapter, or your school can get involved.

First things first – Some introductions! Who we are:

The AMSARHP team includes Becky Martin, who is, as she says, 鈥渙ne of those old-school community organizers鈥� who brings a unique perspective to our work. She got her start working to expand education and licensing programs for midwives in Florida and then around the U.S. A deep concern and care for pregnant and birthing people has been at the core of Becky鈥檚 lifetime of advocacy, activism, and organizing. She has a deep appreciation for history and what we can learn from our past 鈥� she knows we all stand on the shoulders of giants. And having worked with AMSAfor over 20 years from allied organizations before joining AMSAstaff, Becky knows many of 麻豆原创鈥檚 giants personally. Becky reminds us medicine is both art and science, and how we grow our healers is vitally important. As 麻豆原创鈥檚 Senior Manager for Reproductive Health Advocacy,听 she helps 麻豆原创鈥檚 members, Chapter Officers, and National Leaders think and plan strategically for mobilizing future physicians for action on abortion access and reproductive healthcare equity. Dr. Jeffrey Koetje is a medical professional focused on transforming the systems and culture of education and training inside the House of Medicine. Utilizing critical theories such as intersectional feminism, queer theory, and Critical Race Theory, Dr. Koetje works to create transformed and transformative medical education, grounded in an absolute belief that spaces for education can and must be spaces for young people to more closely encounter and get to know their own power, agency, and capacity to be change-makers. The Project also works closely with , who is an OB/GYN abortion provider in the NYC area, and former AMSAEducation and Advocacy Fellow, National Graduate Trustee on the AMSABoard of Trustees, and AMSAReproductive Health Programming Strategist. Two medical students also will be joining the AMSARepro Project this year: Joy Udoh, M4 at Michigan State College of Osteopathic Medicine, will be the AMSAReproductive Health Project Fellow, and Araam Abboud, M3 at Boonshoft School of Medicine will be the AMSAReproductive Health Project Intern. Joy and Araam will be introducing themselves in the next issue of this newsletter.

What we offer:

As a grant-funded project, we are able to offer an abundance of support to you, your AMSAchapter, your school, and your community in the form of informational resources, connections to subject matter experts and activists for chapter events, interesting and compelling films to view and discuss, clinical skills workshops, advocacy skills workshops, and several programs you can enroll in, including our Abortion Care & Reproductive Justice Institutes back in-person! (Read what a student from this summer wrote about his experience: Recharging Your Medical Passion: The Power of a Retreat . We also offer small chapter grants ($200 – $500) to cover food/beverage costs for AMSAChapter events planned in coordination with the AMSARHP! We can even help chapters with new member recruitment by providing AMSARHP swag for tabling events and a limited number of free memberships for students who participate in RHP-sponsored chapter events!

We鈥檒l highlight many of the RHP offerings here, but be sure to check out all the details posted to the , and keep up with all the updates and opportunities by reading the AMSARepro Health & Justice eNewsletter.听 to start receiving the newsletter, delivered to your inbox every other Saturday – and catch up on what you鈥檝e missed by reading current and past issues!

New & Expanded Offerings for AMSAMembers & Chapters from the AMSAAbortion Care & Reproductive Health Project

Clinical & Research Skills:

• Manual Vacuum Aspiration (MVA, or 鈥減apaya workshop鈥�)
• What Would You Do? Values Exploration & Clarification
• Pelvic Exam Best Practices Workshop
• Trauma Informed Abortion & Reproductive Health Care
• Self-Managed Abortion: A Safe Option for Many (SMA)
• Contraception Counseling & IUD Insertion
• Pregnancy & Abortion Care Options Counseling
• Understanding Mandated Reporting: What Is & Is Not Required
• Designing & Presenting Compelling Research Projects

Advocacy, Organizing, & Networking Skills:

• Effective Communication about Abortion Care: What & How We Talk Matters
• Lifting Your Voice: Writing Compelling LTEs,OpEds & Blog Posts
• Building Relationships with Reproductive Freedom Champions in Your State
• Understanding How Bills Become Laws & Regulations Govern Physician Practice
• Translating Data & Research Findings into Policy Recommendations
• Finding & Sharing Change-maker Stories in Your Community

Issue Education Teach-Ins:

• The History of Abortion: Roots of Stigma, Opportunities for Change
• Abortion as a Moral & Social Good: The Ethical Basis for Conscientious Provision of Abortion Care
• Religious & Spiritual Affirmation of Abortion
• Men & Abortion – Feminist Frameworks for Male/Masc Abortion Rights Allies
• Fetal Personhood & Criminalizing Pregnancy: Fast Tracks to Gilead
• Physicians as Enforcers: Urine Drug Screens, Mandated Reporting & Criminalization of Pregnant People
• Anti-abortion Laws & Maternal Mortality: Turning the Tide
• Birth Justice – A Framework for Improving U.S. Health Outcomes by Uniting Physicians, Midwives & Doulas听
• Reproductive Justice: A Movement & Framework for Equitable Health Care

Expanding Conversations with Film

Films offer unique ways to share information, generate conversations and move people to action, especially around difficult or challenging topics facing our communities. The AMSARHP shares film access and provides expert speakers for facilitated, interactive conversations with AMSAmembers and Chapters. This year we are expanding our film offerings and focusing around key topics starting with:听

• How Stories Move People & Foster Change
  Ours to Tell, a short documentary film featuring several abortion stories
• Informed Consent: Vital for Patients, Students & Providers
  At Your Cervix, a documentary film about medical education and unconsented pelvic exams on anesthetized patients
• Forced Sterilization: What is it & How it is Still Happening?
  Belly of the Beast, a documentary film about the forced sterilization of women incarcerated in California鈥檚 prison system
• In the Time Before Roe: Lessons from Our Not too Distant Past
  The Janes, a film that tells the story of underground abortion providers in Chicago who cared for over 11,000 women in the years before Roe
• Moral Injury, Burnout & Suicide Among Physicians & Trainees
  Do No Harm, a documentary film that shines light on the crisis of medical student and physician suicide along with the toxic issues and environments far too many are facing today

***Everything listed above can be organized into an AMSAChapter event!***

Courses and Programs:

• AMSAAbortion Care and Reproductive Justice Institutes
  for first dibs on registration
• AMSAReproductive Health & Justice Mentorship Program
  Learn more and sign-up for the Winter 2025 Repro Mentorship Sprint (Jan/Feb 2025)
• AMSAReproductive Health Scholars Program
  Our next offering will be Fall 2025, for first dibs on registration
• 麻豆原创-UM Elective in Abortion Care, Family Planning, and Reproductive Justice
  Explore the program description here, our next offering is planned for Fall 2025.听

Essay Contests, Poster Presentations & Scholarship Opportunities:

• Repro Poster Presenter Scholarships
  to present your abortion and repro-related poster at the 75th Annual AMSAConvention in Washington DC April 17-19, 2025 – Learn more at
• Reproductive Health, Rights, and Justice Essay Contests
  Stay tuned for details coming soon!

###

*Note: an excerpt of this Spotlight is included in AMSAReproductive Health Project eNews #31: Say Their Names, Get Connected, Stand for Change, Nov 2, 2024
Find the current and past issues in the AMSARepro eNews Archive.

Explore the AMSAReproductive Health Project
Find news, tips, tools, opportunities听 & more!

for AMSARepro Project Updates

The post Stay Connected – to Resources, Community, and Radical Hope for Reproductive Freedom and Justice appeared first on 麻豆原创.

SPOTLIGHT ON ABORTION CARE & REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE听

Project 2025: What Future Physicians Need to Know about Threats
to Departments of Education & HHS, Reproductive Health Care, Physician Autonomy & More

Written by Becky Martin, AMSASenior Manager of Reproductive Health Advocacy

is a 900+page 鈥�,鈥� that a step-by-step guide for a conservative presidential administration to implement an 鈥渆xtreme agenda across the federal government from day one.鈥�

AMSAReproductive Health Project allies at the and the have both analyzed Project 2025 and its plans for reproductive health, abortion care, gender justice, HHS, the Department of Education, and beyond. What we are learning about the impact provisions in Project 2025 would have on healthcare and education in the U.S. is frankly alarming us, and we want to make sure it’s on your radar too!

Here are a few general findings from NWLC we want to highlight, Project 2025:

• 鈥渙ffers sweeping policy proposals that would dramatically overhaul how our federal government, including departments, agencies, sub-agencies, and personnel, would function鈥�
  
  
• 鈥渟eeks to impose a hierarchal, gendered, patriarchal vision of society鈥� and 鈥渞einforce racial hierarchies鈥�
  
  
• 鈥渟eeks to dismantle all policies that are described as promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion and to reverse gains on gender justice and racial justice鈥� and 鈥渃alls for the elimination of federal funding for entities that promote diversity, equity, or inclusion鈥�
  
  
• 鈥渟eeks to harm LGBTQI+ people by narrowly defining sex to mean 鈥渂iological sex as determined at birth,鈥� seeking to deny transgender and nonbinary people鈥檚 existence鈥� and 鈥渨ould undermine protections against sex discrimination in health care鈥�

Related to Abortion Care, Project 2025:

• 鈥渃alls for the elimination of references to 鈥渁bortion,鈥� 鈥渞eproductive health,鈥� and 鈥渟exual and reproductive rights鈥� from all federal rules, regulations, contracts, and grants鈥�
  
  
• 鈥渄isavows abortion as part of health care. It seeks to recast HHS as the 鈥楧epartment of Life鈥� and would establish the mission of HHS as 鈥榝urthering the health and well-being of all Americans from conception to natural death鈥� 鈥�
• 鈥渨ould seek to increase federal surveillance of pregnant people nationwide by mandating state reporting on state abortion data鈥�
  
  
• 鈥渟eeks to drastically expand federal laws that allow hospitals, doctors, and nurses to deny patients the care they need based on providers鈥� personal beliefs, not based on what is best for the patient鈥�

Related to the Department of Education, Project 2025:

• 鈥渟eeks to eliminate the Education Department entirely鈥�
  
  
• 鈥渆quates the acknowledgement of transgender people with child abuse and pornography鈥� and 鈥減roposes harsh penalties against when school libraries include books that discuss transgender people鈥�
  
  
• 鈥渃alls for prosecuting 鈥榓ll state and local governments, institutions of higher education, corporations, and any other private employers鈥� that maintain affirmative action or diversity, equity, and inclusion policies鈥�
  
  
• 鈥渟trip ED鈥檚 power to cancel, discharge, or forgive balances, or modify the terms or repayment amounts, of student loan debt鈥�
  
  
• 鈥渨ould rescind regulations that made it easy for those who were defrauded by their college鈥攐r who attended an institution that closed鈥攖o discharge their loans鈥�
  
  

Find & share the full report by the National Women鈥檚 Law Center here

The Guttmacher Institute fact sheet details how its 鈥渇ar-reaching recommendations would severely limit reproductive autonomy and access to reproductive health care, while turning back the clock on hard-won gains, both domestically and globally.鈥澨� They find some of the 鈥渕ost serious threats to sexual and reproductive health鈥� in Project 2025 include:

1. Threats to Medication Abortion听

Project 2025 strategies include:

• 鈥渞estricting鈥攁nd ultimately eliminating鈥攁ccess to mifepristone鈥� and 鈥渞einstating medically unnecessary restrictions on mifepristone that require in-person dispensing and limit who can prescribe and receive the medication鈥�
  
  
• 鈥渆ffectively ending telehealth provision of the method鈥� and 鈥渞evoking mifepristone鈥檚 US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval, which would remove the drug from the market entirely鈥�
  
  
• 鈥渂ypass the FDA and effectively ban medication abortion鈥攁nd potentially all abortions鈥攖hrough enforcement of the Comstock Act, an 1873 anti-obscenity law that prohibits mailing anything 鈥榠ntended for producing abortion.鈥� The law could be used to prevent the distribution of medication and supplies needed for abortion care and if applied broadly, it could result in a nationwide total abortion ban.鈥�

2. Broader Attacks on Abortion Access

• Project 2025 鈥渃alls on Congress to codify into law the and Amendments, harmful policies that limit access to abortion care in the United States by restricting the use of federal funds for abortion care and coverage鈥澨�

3. Denying Access to Abortion Care in Emergency Situations

• Project 2025 听鈥渃alls for the Department of Health and Human Services to dismantle the abortion protections provided under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA). Refusal to enforce EMTALA鈥檚 protections for abortion care puts pregnant people鈥檚 lives in jeopardy, by forcing providers to risk criminal charges if they perform potentially lifesaving abortion care.鈥�

4. Increasing Misinformation, Disinformation and Stigma

Project 2025:

• 鈥渦ses charged, medically inaccurate anti-abortion rhetoric鈥攊ncluding language falsely portraying abortion as unsafe鈥攖o break down support for abortion rights and bolster efforts to criminalize providers鈥�
  
  
• 鈥減aves the way for increased criminalization of pregnancy outcomes other than abortion鈥�
  
  
• 鈥渟eeks to redefine basic sexual health education as 鈥榩ornography 鈥溾�� and 鈥渞ecommends replacing comprehensive with 肠耻谤谤颈肠耻濒补鈥�
  

5. Weaponization of Federal Medicaid Dollars

• Project 2025 鈥渃alls for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to encourage states to eliminate all Planned Parenthood facilities from their state Medicaid programs鈥� and 鈥渟uggests that CMS create a new regulation that would disqualify abortion providers nationwide鈥�

6. Attacks on Contraception

Project 2025:

• 鈥渟eeks to severely undermine two cornerstones of US contraceptive provision: Title X, the national publicly funded family planning program, and the federal contraceptive coverage guarantee of the Affordable Care Act鈥�
  
  
• 鈥減roposes reinstating the harmful 鈥渄omestic gag rule,鈥� which would prohibit health care providers who receive Title X funding from providing abortion referrals and would require them to be physically and financially separated from any abortion-related activities, including counseling鈥�听

7. Impact on Reproductive Health Worldwide

• Project 2025 鈥減roposes immediately reinstating the global gag rule, which would prevent non-US NGOs from receiving US government global health assistance if they used their own, non-US funds to provide abortion services, information, counseling, referrals or advocacy鈥�

Read & share the Guttmacher Institute detailed fact sheet here

###

Explore the AMSAReproductive Health Project

Find news, tips, tools, opportunities听 & more!
for AMSARepro Project eNews & Updates

Please send your comments and suggestions to rhp@amsa.org

The post Project 2025: What Future Physicians Need to Know about Threats to Departments of Education & HHS, Reproductive Health Care, Physician Autonomy & More appeared first on 麻豆原创.