In Baltimore, nursing students and educators are voicing concerns over the possible impact of a U.S. Department of Education proposal that could reshape the future of healthcare professionals. According to a report by WBAL-TV, the department is considering a move to stop recognizing nursing degrees as professional programs, a classification that affects federal student loan access.
This potential policy change is causing anxiety for current students and those contemplating careers in nursing. Practicing in a clinical lab, nursing students at the University of Maryland are sharpening their skills, unaware of the quiet storm brewing around their financial support. As one student, Jamie Kotler, returning to school for more professional training, said in a statement detailed by WBAL-TV, "So, it's pretty upsetting for a lot of us." Kotler has been nursing for over four years and is working towards a doctoral degree in nursing.
This reclassification would mean a hard cap on how much money students can borrow—$50,000 annually, with a $200,000 lifetime cap, for those in programs listed as "professional degrees." In stark contrast, currently, students can borrow up to the full cost of attendance. However, the Department of Education suggests this policy is about curbing tuition costs, claiming 95% of nurses borrow less than the current cap permits, as reported by CBS News.
But critics, like nursing student Joel Clark, warn of the larger consequences to the field—deterrence from entering nursing and exacerbating the existing shortage. Addressing the growing nurse shortage in Maryland and across the nation, Dr. Lou Bartolo, President of the Maryland Nurses Association, detailed in an interview with CBS News, the dire need for sustained recruitment of healthcare professionals. "We know that people are retiring from the baby boomer age and so forth, right now," said Bartolo. "We haven't recovered from those numbers, basically, of all those retirements and people leaving the field of nursing."
Amid these looming shifts, the University of Maryland, Baltimore, is reinforcing its commitment to students. Provost and Executive Vice President Roger Ward assured in a statement obtained by WBAL-TV, "We've got you, and we will continue to work hard to make sure, notwithstanding the policy and challenges, we continue to work toward our mission to improve the human condition." Universities and professional organizations are engaged in efforts to convince the Department of Education to reverse its stance before the final decision comes down on July 26, 2026.
