GAO Study Examines Graduate Medical Education Training and Debt Trends
Although medical student debt is rising, physicians are eligible for federal loan repayment relief plans during postgraduate medical training and can eventually earn high incomes that can be used to repay their loans, according to a brief issued yesterday by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The median amount of educational debt for indebted medical students graduating in 2008 was $155,000 - a 53 percent increase since 1998, controlling for inflation, according to the report. Despite the rising debt associated with graduate medical education, the GAO didn't find that debt weighs heavily on students' minds when choosing a specialty.

Student Loan Tips: How to Steer Clear of Private Loans (The Wall Street Journal)
"Private loans are being used more than ever to help fund college, according to a new study by the Project on Student Debt. But considering that private loans carry sky-high interest rates and inflexible repayment terms, that's bad news," The Wall Street Journal reports. "The study found that 14% of undergrads used private loans last academic year (2007-08), up from 5% during 2003-04. A quarter of students who took out private loans did not take out any federal loans, which carry much lower interest rates and more flexible terms. Worse, 14% didn't even apply."