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

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

�����Ի�����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’re often a last resort, since interest keeps accruing on most loan types while payments are paused.

However, they can be a lifeline if you’d 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’re 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’t accrue on your loans while they’re in deferment. This benefit means your balance won’t grow while payments are paused. Interest does accrue on other loan types, like Direct unsubsidized loans and��.

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:��You can request this type of forbearance if you’re experiencing financial challenges, a change in employment, medical expenses, or another reason. It’s up to your loan servicer whether or not to grant your request.
• Mandatory forbearance:��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’s 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’ll 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����if you’re 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:��While new loans won’t 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’t 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:��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��, 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’ll face fewer and more limited options for pausing your payments.

At any time, if you’re 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 AMSA.

SPOTLIGHT ON REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH & JUSTICE

Beyond Stigma: Centering Dignity, Freedom, and Choice in Reproductive Health

Written by Donya Admadian, MS, MPH, ��ѿappLegislative Affairs Director
and Taylor Spears, MD, ��ѿappReproductive Health Project Fellow

She could be your classmate sitting silently beside you in lecture, quietly calculating how many miles exist between her and the nearest clinic. All the while, lawmakers who will never even know her name debate her humanity from hundreds of miles away.

She could be your future patient-navigating fear, uncertainty, and isolation beneath the fluorescent lights of an emergency room. Your sibling. Your colleague. Considering that 1 in 4 women in the U.S. have an abortion by age 45, the chances of these people being near and dear to you are extremely high (ACOG, Abortion care 2022).

Abortion care in the 21st century continues to be discussed as abstraction before humanity- as politics before personhood.

From early in our medical careers, we are both directly and indirectly trained to stigmatize reproductive healthcare- through silence in our curricula and clinical rotations, through euphemisms that distance us from patients, through legislation that has no evidence-based foundation, and through institutional cultures that frame reproductive healthcare and abortion as controversial rather than deeply human forms of care.

When care is treated as controversial, we inevitably create systems in which institutional judgment becomes the frame of reference through which patients are taught to understand themselves. People seeking abortion care are already forced to navigate tangible barriers- financial strain, geographic restriction, delayed access, legislative interference- yet layered atop these obstacles for many patients is an often unspoken psychological burden shaped by shame, fear, isolation, and the possibility of public scrutiny. According to the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, abortion does not increase the risk of depression (ACOG, Abortion care 2022). The UC San Francisco’s landmark found that

“more than 95 percent of people who chose to have abortions reported that it was the right decision for them, when interviewed over the next five years.”

Given the stigma and the supposed “guilt” surrounding care, these facts alone corrects major misconceptions about the psychological toll of abortion care.

It is critical to recognize that no two abortion experiences are identical, nor should distress be presumed as universal. And yet, what remains undeniably true is that nearly every patient seeking comprehensive reproductive healthcare must navigate anxieties and barriers produced by a society that has politicized bodily autonomy beyond recognition. We witness the fear of traveling hundreds of miles for care, the silence imposed by potential criminalization, the uncertainty of whether compassion will be met with judgment, and the quiet internalization of rhetoric that frames deeply personal healthcare decisions as a moral referendum rather than a human reality.

In this way, stigma itself becomes a public health issue and crisis- not only shaping access to care, but shaping the emotional conditions under which people are forced to survive, decide, and seek the care they deserve. Abortion care is healthcare because choice, freedom, autonomy and dignity are human rights– much like access to clean water, food, shelter and safety. Abortion care is safe and is at least 14 times safer than childbirth. Some studies have estimated that a complete abortion ban would increase maternal mortality by 21% (ACOG, Increasing access to abortion 2025).

As future physicians and advocates, it is our moral duty and profound privilege to recognize that the consequences of our public discourse surrounding abortion care demands our attention. Increasing our understanding of the roots of abortion care stigma, and shining a light on its destructive impact on patients, providers, and communities are vital steps to ensuring all can access the care they need; and in achieving reproductive justice for all. Our collective language regarding reproductive care has the power to shape not only policy but to restore and invite liberation, dignity, non-judgement and compassion back into our medical practices.

So, let us be reminded that healthcare rooted in empathy and evidence-based care is not radical-
but the very foundation upon which medicine itself is meant to stand.

Watch & Share

What is abortion stigma? (4.33min)
The Sea Change Program & the Planned Parenthood Federation of America

Resources:
Abortion care. ACOG. (2022).
Increasing access to abortion. ACOG. (2025, January 16).

Into ACT!ON content library. Into Action Content Library. (n.d.).
Reproductive Health Care is a Human Right

Abortion Is Health Care
UCSF Turnaway Study Shows Impact of Abortion Access on Well-Being.

NIRH Action Fund.

Note: This post was originally written for the ��ѿappReproductive Health Project eNews #71 – May 23, 2026:
Getting Beyond Stigma, Centering Dignity, Combatting Mis-&-Dis Information.
Read & Share the full issue HERE

Explore the����ѿappReproductive Health Project
Find news, tips, tools, opportunities�� & more!

��for ��ѿappRepro Project Updates

The post Beyond Stigma: Centering Dignity, Freedom, and Choice in Reproductive Health appeared first on AMSA.

SPOTLIGHT ON REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH & JUSTICE��

Rural Reproductive Health & the Digital Divide:
Why Access Can’t Wait

Written by Jasrina Kaushal, MD, Digital Rural Health Fellow and
Taylor Spears, MD, Reproductive Health Project Fellow

Rural communities across the U.S. face a quiet crisis in reproductive and maternal health – one that doesn’t make headlines as often as it should. Nearly 2.2 million women of reproductive age live in counties without a hospital offering obstetric services, and more than 35% of U.S. counties lack a single practicing OB-GYN (March of Dimes, 2022; ACOG, 2020). Rural America represents 75% of the national landmass and is home for almost 23% of U.S. women aged 18 years and older. (ACOG, Health Disparities in Rural Women 2014, reaffirmed 2024) For many patients, this means driving over an hour just to make a routine prenatal appointment – care that, for a normal pregnancy alone, spans multiple visits across all three trimesters.

And that’s the straightforward case. For patients navigating high-risk pregnancies – twin gestations, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes for example, the stakes are higher and the need for consistent, specialized monitoring is even more critical. In rural settings, where access to imaging, labs, and emergency obstetric care is often limited, delays in care aren’t just inconvenient. They can be genuinely dangerous. Less than one half of rural women live within a 30-minute drive to the nearest hospital offering prenatal services. Similarly, proportionately fewer women living in rural areas have access to the recommended preventive screenings for breast and cervical cancer. (ACOG, Health Disparities in Rural Women 2014, reaffirmed 2024)

These aren’t abstract statistics. They’re the realities shaping the health of patients in communities across the country, and they’re part of what drives the conversation about how we build a more equitable healthcare system.

Digital health tools aren’t a fix-all, but they’re increasingly proving to be a meaningful piece of the puzzle. Remote monitoring, telehealth consultations, and patient education platforms can support earlier detection of complications and help patients stay engaged in their care, even when the nearest specialist is miles away.

This is where the ��ѿappDigital Rural Health Corps comes in. A national, student-led initiative, the Corps deploys trained medical and pre-medical students into rural communities to provide hands-on, one-on-one support helping residents navigate digital healthcare tools. The program equips students to help patients effectively use things like patient portals, telehealth platforms, and online prescription services – but beyond the immediate impact on patients, there’s another dimension worth highlighting: exposure matters. Research consistently shows that trainees who engage with rural communities are significantly more likely to practice in rural areas long-term (National Rural Health Association, 2021). Programs like this aren’t just about the patients we serve today, they’re about building the workforce rural communities will need tomorrow.

Some other recommendations to help with the advancement of rural healthcare include participating in and promoting research to determine factors and conditions that support the retention of OB/GYNs in�� rural areas, advocating for increased access to contraceptive methods and emergency contraception, advocating for the availability of safe and accessible abortion services, and participating in or encouraging research on education, employment, and poverty disparities that affect the health of women living in rural areas. (ACOG, Health Disparities in Rural Women 2014, reaffirmed 2024)

There’s still so much more work to do. Digital tools are a bridge, not a destination. But every student trained, every patient supported, and every conversation started about rural health equity moves us a little closer to the care these communities deserve.

Want to get involved?

Learn more about the ��ѿappDigital Rural Health Corps HERE. If you’re a medical or pre-medical student interested in becoming a Digital Health Navigator, applications are open, and our next virtual training session is Monday, May 11th at 7:00 PM ET – register

Resources:��

• Health disparities in rural women. ACOG. (n.d.) –
• WHEN WOMEN ARE DESERTED: The Prevalence and Intersection of Abortion Care Deserts, Pregnancy Care Deserts, Broadband Internet Deserts, and Food Deserts in the United States – National Women’s Law Center –

The post Rural Reproductive Health & the Digital Divide: Why Access Can’t Wait appeared first on AMSA.

SPOTLIGHT ON BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH

“Rooted in Justice & Joy”
#BMHW26

Written by Taylor Spears, MD, ��ѿappReproductive Health Project Fellow

The second week of April is an important week for maternal health, research and empowerment. is a movement founded by the and takes place annually on April 11th-17th. April was intentionally chosen as it is also . Black Mamas Matter Alliance is a “network of Black-led/Black women-led organizations and multi-disciplinary professionals who work to ensure that all Black Mamas have the rights, respect, and resources to thrive before, during, and after pregnancy.”��

After doing more research about the movement, one of the most interesting facts shared by Black Mamas Matter Alliance, Inc. is that they are banded together in support of Black mothers whether they have borne children or not. They fight for the rights of community mothers, those who continuously take care of others without looking for any form of repayment outside of the betterment of their community and home. BMMA provides facts about maternal health and reproductive health in an easy to find and easy to understand manner. Some of these facts will be shared during Black Maternal Health Week on AMSA’s Instagram page . They even provide a mental health fact sheet for and about black mothers (see link below).

This highlights the idea that we have to stop ignoring the facts. We believe research in every other aspect, but when approached with the continued mistreatment of African American patients, some people turn a blind eye. The facts are the facts and the research is real, so what are you going to do about it?��

In the U.S., Black Women are over 3 times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than White women. CDC notes that more than 80% of pregnancy related deaths are preventable.

What can we do as students?? As medical students, there are several ways to support this movement. As ��ѿappmembers, we offer the opportunity to hold your own chapter event during Black Maternal Health Week where you can enjoy a film screening, host an issue education session, or indulge in the education of our Manual Vacuum Aspiration training, etc. Short on time that week? No problem. ��ѿappoffers these opportunities year round, and you can display your interest by completing one or all of the following forms:��

Outside of AMSA, you can support and volunteer with your local organizations that advocate for Black mamas and recognize and bring light to the disproportionate rate of maternal morbidity and mortality of Black mothers. Also, research! Lead or join research projects that help us to better understand the causes of the disproportionate risks between Black women and others. Educate yourself and others on how we can make our pregnancies easier, healthier, and make the proper care more accessible.�� You can use your platform to amplify the movement and share facts about the movement, reproductive justice, and reproductive rights. Several of these posts can be found on the ��ѿappInstagram page during Black Maternal Health Week and simply shared. To increase awareness and enhance the interactions your posts receive, use hashtags #BMHW26, #BlackMamasMatter, #BlackMaternalHealthWeek, and #BlackMaternalHealth.��

We desire to assist you in your advocacy efforts and journey, as we do our part as an organization to support Black Maternal Health Week.
Email us here rhp@amsa.org��

Resource to Explore & Share:

• 2026 Black Maternal Health Week National Call, Black Mamas Matter Alliance –��
• , Black Mamas Matter Alliance
• Raising awareness for Black maternal health, 11 Alive –��
• ProPublica Investigation on How Hospitals Are Failing Black Mothers, Planned Parenthood Florida Action –��
• Holding Ground on Maternal Health:��Maternal Health Awareness Day 2026 ACOG Webinar with Dr. Ndidiamaka Amutah-Onukagha, the Julia A. Okoro Professor of Black Maternal Health in the Department of Public Health and Community Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine –��

Research to Explore & Share:

• Why Access to Abortion Care Matters for Black Maternal Health,��The Century Foundation –��
• From Crisis to Commitment: Ending the Epidemic of Maternal Mortality among Black Women: A Call to Action, Health & Social Work –��
• Why Aren’t We Using Family Medicine to Help Confront the Maternal Mortality Crisis in the United States?��Obstetric Anesthesia Digest –��

Upcoming Opportunities to Explore & Share:

• April 11 Online @ 2:30pmE –��Black Maternal Health & Birth Justice Across Regions: In Honor of International Day for Maternal Health and Rights –��
• April 13 Online @12:00pmE��– #BMHW26 Virtual Pep Rally: Black Maternal Health in Your Neighborhood –��
• April 16 Online @ 6:00pmE��– Beyond the Binary—Black Trans Family Building in a World Not Built for US –��

The post “Rooted in Justice & Joy” Spotlight on Black Maternal Health Week appeared first on AMSA.

Admissions Insights

For medical school admissions, did you know that cuts from primary application submissions will eliminate candidates who fall below a school’s standards for both GPA and MCAT scores? After that, the focus shifts from your intellectual abilities to your non-academic accomplishments.

Check out our article to learn more and find out five MCAT tips to help you get into medical school.

The post KAPLAN TEST PREP: CHOOSING A MEDICAL SCHOOL appeared first on AMSA.

��ѿappCelebrates Today’s Abortion Care providers & Nurtures Tomorrow’s

Today, March 10, we invite you to join us in celebrating Abortion Provider Appreciation Day, which honors and lifts up abortion providers. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the day’s founding, intended to honor the life and service of Dr. David Gunn, who was murdered by an anti-abortion extremist on March 10, 1993.

In the more than 30 years since Dr. Gunn’s murder, abortion providers have continued to face threats, harassment, and violence. And since the Dobbs decision in 2022 overturned Roe, clinicians increasingly face the risk of criminalization for providing abortion care even for miscarriage management.��

And yet, every day, abortion providers, clinic staff, and volunteers make the commitment to provide the life-affirming and life-saving care they are trained to provide to people who need an abortion. This is one way that radical love-in-action looks like.

Today and every day, ��ѿapphonors their courage and their conviction to provide abortion care even in the face of these ongoing risks and threats. We affirm that reproductive health services are essential to comprehensive health care, and we support full access to the entire range of reproductive services. We believe safe, voluntary abortions should be available to all who need them, regardless of how much they earn, who they work for, or where they live.

The is here to support tomorrow’s abortion providers and future physician advocates for reproductive health, rights, and justice. If you are planning to provide abortion care – and even if you aren’t planning to – we welcome you to participate in any of the RHP programs. Additionally, ��ѿappChapters can receive financial and programmatic support from the ��ѿappRHP for chapter events.

Medical students, we hope you’ll consider joining us in Asheville for the Summer 2026 ��ѿappAbortion Care and Reproductive Justice Institutes! Just a few open spots remaining – learn more and apply today!

For more about abortion care and Abortion Provider Appreciation Day check out the resources below and on Instagram and
to receive the ��ѿappReproductive Health Project Newsletter delivered to your inbox every other Saturday!

EXPLORE the resources below from Abortion Care Providers, Trainers, Allies & Truth-Tellers

CHECK-OUT & SHARE our APAD Thank You posts

Why Can’t it Just be Okay – A Poem about Abortion Care

Written by Aliye Runyan, MD, FACOG, OB-GYN, Complex Family Planning subspecialist
& ��ѿappReproductive Health Project Strategist

Routine
Mundane
Another medical procedure that we accept
Can sometimes be necessary,
Life saving,
Difficult –
But not always.
Not every end to a pregnancy is sad
Some pregnancies end in joyous birth
Some end with grief for what could have been
Some end with a sigh of relief
Freedom to be a parent or not to be
Freedom to choose one’s path in life
Abortion is an act of love
Abortion is common
Safe
Should not be an undue burden to access
Why can’t it just be okay
The story of abortion is made to be
Black and white
Good vs evil
When it is simply a part of life
Part of a person’s reproductive journey
Part of being a human
Abortion is an act of love
Why can’t it just be okay

We share this poem as part of our annual honoring and recognition of .
Why Can’t it Just be Okay��was published originally within – a collection of poems curated by the Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters (SRHM),�� a peer-reviewed, international, open access journal that explores emerging, neglected and marginalized issues across the field of sexual and reproductive health and rights.

ABORTION CARE NETWORK��

The Abortion Care Network (ACN) supports and strengthens independent abortion providers, ensuring they have the resources, training, and advocacy needed to deliver compassionate care. Their work helps keep clinics open and accessible for communities across the country.
Website
Instagram

AMERICAN COLLEGE OF OBSTETRICIANS & GYNECOLOGISTS

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) is a leading voice in OB/GYN care, medical education, and advocacy. Their work supports providers, patients, and policies that protect and expand reproductive health access, including abortion care.
Website
Instagram��

NATIONAL ABORTION FEDERATION

The National Abortion Federation (NAF) ensures that abortion care is safe, accessible, and high-quality by providing training, support, and advocacy for providers. They also offer financial assistance and resources to help patients overcome barriers to care.
Website
Instagram��

NATIONAL NETWORK OF ABORTION FUNDS

The National Network of Abortion Funds (NNAF) works to eliminate financial and logistical barriers to abortion care. Through a coalition of nearly 100 grassroots organizations, they provide direct support so that cost and access are never obstacles to reproductive freedom.
Website
Instagram��

PLANNED PARENTHOOD

For over a century, Planned Parenthood has been a trusted provider of reproductive health care, education, and advocacy. Their commitment to accessible, patient-centered care ensures that millions can make informed decisions about their health and futures.
Website
Instagram��

SOCIETY OF FAMILY PLANNING

The Society of Family Planning advances science, research, and education in sexual and reproductive health. By supporting evidence-based policies and medical education, they help improve abortion and contraception care worldwide.
Website

MEDICAL STUDENTS FOR CHOICE

Medical Students for Choice (MSFC) is dedicated to training and empowering future abortion providers by ensuring medical students receive the education and support they need to provide reproductive health care. Their advocacy strengthens the next generation of providers committed to abortion access and reproductive justice.
Website
Instagram

PHYSICIANS FOR REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH

Physicians for Reproductive Health trains and supports physician-advocates to protect and expand abortion care access.�� Through medical education, advocacy, and leadership training, they ensure that abortion care remains accessible, patient-centered, and evidence-based. Their commitment empowers both providers and communities to fight for reproductive freedom.
Website
Instagram

REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH ACCESS PROJECT

Reproductive Health Access Project expands abortion care, contraception, and miscarriage care by training and supporting primary care clinicians. Their work ensures that reproductive health care is accessible, evidence-based, and integrated into primary care settings.
Website
Instagram

TEACH-Training in Early Abortion for Comprehensive Healthcare

TEACH�� equips clinicians with the skills and training needed to provide compassionate, patient-centered abortion care. By integrating abortion education into primary care, they expand access to safe and comprehensive reproductive health services.
Website
Instagram

THE RYAN PROGRAM: RESIDENCY TRAINING IN ABORTION & FAMILY PLANNING

The Ryan Program advances family planning and abortion training in OB/GYN residency programs, ensuring that future physicians are equipped to provide comprehensive reproductive health care. Their work strengthens abortion access by integrating it into medical education.
Website

REPRO TLC

Repro TLC (formerly Midwest Access Project) supports abortion and family planning educators, ensuring they have the tools to train the next generation of compassionate, skilled reproductive health providers. Their work strengthens teaching, learning, and community in reproductive health care.
Website
Instagram

PHYSICIANS FOR REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH

Physicians for Reproductive Health trains and supports physician-advocates to protect and expand abortion care access.�� Through medical education, advocacy, and leadership training, they ensure that abortion care remains accessible, patient-centered, and evidence-based. Their commitment empowers both providers and communities to fight for reproductive freedom.
Website
Instagram

GUTTMACHER INSTITUTE

Advancing sexual & reproductive health & rights worldwide for more than 55 years. High-quality research. Evidence-Based Advocacy. Strategic Communications.
Website
Instagram

CENTER FOR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS

The Center for Reproductive Rights uses the power of law to advance reproductive rights as fundamental human rights around the world.
Website
Instagram

WE TESTIFY

We Testify uses the power of real stories to change how people see abortion. Through the stories we tell, we build community, leadership, and power. We Testify storytelling also expands conversations through films like produced with Planned Parenthood. *Arrange Viewings to Engage Your Classmates with the ��ѿappRepro Project – Link
Website
Instagram

ALL ABOVE ALL

All Above All is building a future where abortion is affordable, available, and supported for anyone who seeks care. #AbortionJustice.
Website
Instagram

ABORTION ACCESS FRONT

The Abortion Access Front is a team of comedians, activists, writers, and producers that uses humor to destigmatize abortion and expose the extremist anti-choice forces working to destroy access to reproductive rights in all 50 states.
Website
Instagram

SYA – SHOUT YOUR ABORTION

SYA makes resources, campaigns, and media intended to arm existing activists, create new ones, and foster collective participation in abortion access all over the country.
Website
Instagram

REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM FOR ALL

Reproductive Freedom For All, formerly NARAL Pro-Choice America, has helped lead the charge for over 50 years in the fight for abortion rights, access to birth control, parental leave policies, and pregnancy protections.
Website
Instagram

M&A HOTLINE

The M+A (Miscarriage and Abortion) Hotline – a team of volunteer clinicians with decades of experience in miscarriage and abortion. Call or Text 1-833-246-2632.��

Website
Instagram

MIFE IN ALL 50 – EMAA PROJECT

“Mife” (pronounced “MIFF-ee”) is mifepristone, a safe, FDA‑approved abortion pill used for over 25 years. Science shows it’s safe. Healthcare providers say it’s essential. Anti‑abortion politicians? They’re trying to take it away.

Website

ABORTIONFINDER

AbortionFinder.org was created to provide clear, up-to-date information about the availability of abortion care across the country. AbortionFinder is operated by Bedsider, a project of Power to Decide.

Website Instagram

PLAN C PILLS��

Plan C is a public health creative campaign on abortion pill access, started in 2015 by a small team of veteran public health advocates, researchers, social justice activists. Plan C works to transform access to abortion in the US by normalizing the self-directed option of abortion pills by mail.

Website
Instagram

Explore the ��ѿappReproductive Health Project
Find news, tips, tools, opportunities�� & more!

for ��ѿappRepro Project Updates

The post ��ѿappCelebrates Today’s Abortion Care Providers & Nurtures Tomorrow’s appeared first on AMSA.

Taylor Attends CREOG & APGO Annual Meeting

Written by Taylor Spears, MD, ��ѿappReproductive Health Project Fellow

As a new medical graduate, my attendance at the Annual Meeting of the Council on Resident Education in Obstetrics & Gynecology and the Association of Professors of Gynecology & Obstetrics (CREOG/APGO) was nothing short of amazing!
It was such an inspiring experience to be in the room with so many people of prestige. From educators, program directors, program managers, program chairs, residents, and medical students, the opportunities were endless. We came together in several sessions to discuss AI in the field of OB/GYN, resident wellness, microaggression in medical education, conflict resolution, etc.��

I was granted the chance to connect with amazing medical experts in the field of Obstetrics and Gynecology, who also offered a deeper dive into resident education. A few of my favorite interactions included an Improv Workshop that allowed two people to take on the roles of patient and physician. In this workshop, I took the role of the patient, as many of the attendees had a much more extensive medical background than I. During this experience, I felt very deep emotion in my role which I am sure, when integrated into a resident curriculum, would allow the space for deep empathy.��

In the exhibit hall, I was able to participate in a simulation to remove retained products of conception. I also simulated two vaginal births, one without complications and one with shoulder dystocia of the infant. I was able to practice McRoberts maneuver and delivery of the infant’s posterior shoulder in this one simulation. Also present in the exhibit hall were poster presentations of several researchers that I enjoyed viewing and discussing.��

One of my greatest joys during this week of events was connecting with people who expressed genuine excitement to have me in the room.��

True educators are always excited to receive questions from an inquisitive mind; a learner, as I’ve been called. I want to send a huge thank you to the coordinators, organizers, speakers, and staff for putting together a great experience and learning opportunity at the . I hope to see you all in the upcoming years!!��

###

See more photos of Taylor’s trip to CREOG/APOG

Explore the ��ѿappReproductive Health Project
Find news, tips, tools, opportunities�� & more!

for ��ѿappRepro Project Updates

The post Taylor Attends CREOG & APGO Annual Meeting appeared first on AMSA.

THE WHAT, THE WHY, AND THE HOW

The AAMC PREview Professional Readiness Exam tests how ready you really are for med school. This test will give the admissions committees an insight to how well prepared you are to take on the challenges that medical school poses beyond the academics which are measured by your GPA and MCAT score.

Read our blog to find out more about this test, how it’s scored, and what the questions will look like.

The post KAPLAN TEST PREP: AAMC PREview® PROFESSIONAL READINESS EXAM appeared first on AMSA.

As we find ourselves on the morning of AMSA’s annual Health Equity Week of Action, I am honored to share an important announcement about the future of advocacy within AMSA.

��ѿapphas long been shaped by student leadership and a conviction to demand justice when our field and our world fall short of it. In a system that routinely discounts student voices, we feel a deep responsibility to safeguard and uplift exactly that.

Today, this responsibility feels especially urgent. From austerity policies that have introduced historic federal healthcare cuts to political intrusion into our exam rooms and curriculum, we are witnessing the organized abandonment of the communities that we entered medicine to serve.��

As AMSA’s student leadership and staff have grappled with this moment, one truth has become abundantly clear: if ��ѿappis to remain a home for student-driven justice, we must be structurally equipped to turn conviction into action.

For this reason, ��ѿappis proud to announce the reintroduction of our historic Legislative Affairs Director student leadership position and the launch of our new Advocacy & Action arm. This revitalization reflects our renewed commitment to ensuring that our advocacy is principled, courageous, and grounded in community.

It is my great pleasure to formally introduce Donya Ahmadian as AMSA’s newest Legislative Affairs Director, whose leadership embodies this spirit. Over the past few months, you have heard from the two of us as we have entered into this period of renewed action. Today, I am delighted to present you with Donya’s reflections on this moment and her evolving vision guiding AMSA’s renewed Advocacy & Action Arm.

In solidarity,��

Nikitha Balaji (they/them)

American Medical Student Association National President��

____________________________________________________________________________

A Message from Donya Ahmadian

American Medical Student Association Legislative Affairs Director��

Dear Friends,

Advocacy has always been the central wellspring of AMSA’s mission. In the 1950’s, AMSA, then known as the Student American Medical Association (SAMA), made the courageous decision to break away from the American Medical Association (AMA). At the time, the AMA’s philosophical orientation was in clear misalignment with student voices, who were centering their visions on advancing civil and human rights. Much like today, this boldness and commitment to the core of our integrity can feel incredibly frightening. Students walked the difficult threadlines of facing professional backlash, navigating institutional power dynamics, and finding their voices amongst the many others encouraging conformation to a version of medicine they were unwilling to participate in.��

Understandably, when faced with such a decision point- capitulation can feel like the path of least resistance- oftentimes, because it is. A defining feature of various systems of oppression share this quality- encouraging contortion of one’s own value systems to fit what is palatable to the most powerful. The tension that exists in this space can be sacred to identify & as late psychiatrist Viktor Frankl once wrote…”��

“Between stimulus and response there is a ���貹����…

in that space is our power to choose our response.”

Frankl goes on to share that in this response, whatever it may be, we will find both our “growth” and our “freedom.” This begs the question-�� how do we reach this sense of freedom when knowing how to respond can feel so disillusioning? So frightening? So unknown? When we are faced with risking the same backlash as our predecessors who paved the way for us?��

That is the very element of medicine that we at ��ѿappbelieve needs to be addressed. The field was not made to uplift individualistic ideologies that drown out the voices of its people. When we make that very oath to do no harm- when we feel our white coats first graze our backs- we believed in something greater. We refuse to believe that this calling is being mirrored in the medical and sociopolitical landscape we are living in. Equally, we are energized by that truth we first sought. For, that which binds us here at ��ѿappmay feel like the very values that separate us in other spaces- and if we can allow that discomfort to coexist with the vision we have clung to- then we will continue to pave our way.��

That is not a check engine light telling us we are on the wrong path- but instead, that we are the long path of the very freedom Frankl was referencing. When the freedom of choice feels threatened at every corner- we are here to remind one another that our humanity is not something for sale. Autonomy of choice is not a privilege to be earned- or kept accessible to the groups of our choosing. As a physician, this is one of our primary groundings- to care deeply for others in their wholeness- acknowledging their totality and the many elements that contribute to wellness and illness. It is not, however, an opportunity to cast judgement and dictate worthiness or access to life-saving and life-enhancing care. Quite simply, you cannot truly take care of people when you deny who they fundamentally are and what they fundamentally need.

For us here at AMSA, these are the reflections we have been sitting with. The critical examination of the world we are living in- the moral reckoning with the harm around us- and asking where we fit within the larger ecosystem of it all. Further, we recognize that we only ask ourselves these questions when something incredibly precious feels on the line.��

We are here to assure you that the walls you painted with the dreams that brought you into medicine remain real and tangible. The care we find in one another reminds us that hope, too, is this at its very core. When we look closely, we can find a million reasons to still see this hope everywhere- and we see this mirrored when we think of you.

Your voices matter in every space that you feel called to enter. You are truth-tellers, rooted in the fight for equity in all its forms. We believe that health is a human right- much like access to the very things that make health possible and give it its best chance to grow. Embedded in this belief is the understanding that health is multidimensional-a living tapestry woven from a shared sense of belonging and safety. Where legality is not a term used to define a living person. Where compassion is not a privilege but an extension of human dignity- owed to all. In short, human rights is a nonpartisan issue.��

For us at AMSA, these guiding emotions and reflections have been redefining what advocacy means to us- not just in spirit- but in its very core. We are so proud of the work that each of you, our incredible members, have poured into each season of this journey. Now, as we meet this moment, we are intentionally returning to the very legacy that first brought us together.��

Beginning with our Code Blue movement last year, we have been listening closely to you- working to build a safe harbor for you to land. There is a place for you in the hills and valleys of this world and we hope that one of them can always be here with us. Whether in still or raging waters, there is something so foundationally captivating about a lighthouse. The path towards land may be treacherous and daunting- but there it remains- lying still, firm, and rooted. Lighthouses are an invitation to believe that no matter where we are in our journeys, there is something out there waiting for us- just in case we want or need it. It both lights our path and in the darkness, reminds us that even when the shore feels out of reach, it has never left us. To believe in the unseen or that which we cannot yet feel is a discipline, much like hope, as abolitionist Mariame Kaba taught us.��

That is our vow to you and as we build our vision for the coming years, we hope you will dream alongside us. To reflect this, we have intentionally restructured the Advocacy arm of our organization as a renewed path- Advocacy & Action. This division of our organization will serve, with revitalized energy and purpose, and be clearly focused upon uplifting the democracy we believe in- one that is centered in social justice, human rights, and equity for every being- full stop. We will be guided by transparent values which will reflect AMSA’s organizational priorities through a focused lens, anchoring three foundational pillars to guide us in this reorientation-advocacy, education, and community. These pillars serve as the architecture of our lighthouse- the beams that will hold the infrastructure of our vision and thread them together, right alongside you.��

It is our hope that you will see yourself within each of these pillars. In education, we see the expansion of our moral imaginations and the development and maintenance of curriculum rooted in liberatory medicine- things we will not often find within the walls of our institutions. In advocacy, we will find the building of our tangible skillsets- such as call-in’s to Congress, sign-on letters, and rapid response elements- engaging in concentrated action to drive change.��

From this north star, we harness the power of learning to strategically and ��emphatically utilize our voices for what we not only believe- but know ��is right. We will witness how our power compounds when we are fundamentally equipped to�� respond to the issues around us- when we normalize the duality of fear- for with it and through it, we can build courage. Finally, through a focus upon community, we reflect the integrated understanding that to feel empowered to build our advocacy, we must feel safe enough to make sense of the many emotions we are experiencing. In a system that induces paralysis and nervous system dysregulation- here, we can normalize anger, confusion, and fear- and channel it into the building blocks for our sacred belonging. To feel deeply is not a liability- but an indicator that you are on the right side of history. Together, we can validate this shared lived experience, investing in nonjudgmental spaces and unifying our voices for the change we seek.��

As we walk this journey together, I bring us to a final message from author Donna Roberts:��

“A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words.”

We hope we can be that friend. When the world feels heavy, may we be willing to sing the song in our hearts back to one another- for words etched in permanence can never truly be forgotten- much like our dream for the world we wish to practice our version of medicine & healing in.

We will deepen this conversation this week at Health Equity Week of Action (HEWA), beginning at 6:00 PM ET this evening, where we will spend the next 5 days co-dreaming together.

On our HEWA landing page, you can explore our daily themes and featured speakers/programming in detail. We have the gift of hosting so many aligned allies, including the , , , the , DC’s, / the , , from UCLA/Harbor-UCLA/USC, , , and the , amongst various ��ѿappnational leaders and staff.

As a general note: indicating interest for any single event on our grants you automatic access to all sessions, as the Zoom link recurs for each gathering.��

It is such a privilege to be in this fight with you .

Let’s get started.

With care,

Donya Ahmadian, MS, MPH (she/her)

American Medical Student Association Legislative Affairs Director��

The post Introducing AMSA’s Legislative Affairs Director and Advocacy & Action Arm appeared first on AMSA.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH
SPOTLIGHT ON REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE��

Not Your Experiment: The Experimentation of African Americans in the name of “Medical Advancement”��

Written by Taylor Spears, MD, Reproductive Health Project Fellow

As a Black woman in medicine, I recognize the history of medicine and its effect on minority populations, specifically the African American population, are often responsible for the distrust that is frequently observed in patient rooms today.��

Far too often, Black women and men have been subjected to harmful conditions and used as nonconsenting experiments under the guise of “medical advancement.”��

From the Tuskegee Experiment, to government environmental experiments on urban communities, to physical and surgical experimentation experienced by enslaved people. In my position as Reproductive Health Project Fellow, in this first week of Black History Month, I feel it is most appropriate to bring acknowledgement to the Mothers of Gynecology.

Anarcha, Betsey, and Lucy were enslaved black, teenage girls in Montgomery County, Alabama in the 1840’s. Without consent, they were subjected to gynecologic experimentation by Dr. J. Marion Sims. During these experiments, there was no pain management administered for even the slightest bit of comfort for these women, in what was already an inevitably uncomfortable situation both psychologically and physically.��

Dr. Sims’ “medical treatment” was sought by the enslavers of Betsey, Anarcha, and Lucy after they experienced long term complications of childbirth. Sims experimented on at least ten enslaved women during this time, some undergoing 30 or more procedures. These procedures were often witnessed by other curious physicians; and, as enslaved people, consent was not a legal requirement, as slaves were viewed as property.��

Sims went on to be known for his “discoveries”, some being discontinued shortly after, while the young ladies used in these experiments were forgotten in the background of history. It should be noted that the enslavers of these women likely sought treatment driven by their desire for these women to continue working and childbearing. Even today, black women’s pain is not taken seriously nor is it managed properly. Only recently, were the Mothers of Gynecology recognized for their involuntary contributions to the field of medicine. Today, we share our empathy and gratitude for the Mothers of Gynecology.

“Reproductive Justice is a framework that focuses on the combination of reproductive rights, human rights, and social justice.” – Loretta Ross

Resources

• Explore – The Mothers of Gynecology Museum

Deeper Dives

The Mothers of Gynecology: What Medicine Owes Anarcha, Betsey & Lucy

Elevate Black Wellness (12min) –��

• Mothers of Gynecology,��University of Michigan, Center for History, Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, Ethics and Medicine (2hrs)
  Speakers include: Michelle Browder, Drs. Lisa Harris, Veronica Pimentel, Althea Maybank and Miss Raven Ford –��
• Abortion Rights in the States: Anti-Abortion State Policies and Strategies to Expect in 2026, Reproaction –��
• Many Paths, One Movement: Approaches to Abortion Advocacy, The Sexual and Reproductive Justice Hub at CUNY School of Public Health –��

This post is excerpted from our ��ѿappReproductive Health Project eNews #64 – February 7, 2026 – Honor Their Contribution, Say Their Names: Anarcha, Betsey & Lucy

Explore the����ѿappReproductive Health Project
Find news, tips, tools, opportunities�� & more!

��for ��ѿappRepro Project Updates

The post BLACK HISTORY MONTH SPOTLIGHT ON REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE – Not Your Experiment: The Experimentation of African Americans in the name of “Medical Advancement” appeared first on AMSA.