Five things to know:
1. The Resident Education Deferred Interest Act would allow dental and medical students to defer interest accrual on their federal loans while they are in their residency programs.
2. The bill was introduced to the House of Representatives Feb. 27.
3. Dozens of dental and medical organizations voiced their support for the bill in a March 1 letter to legislators, including the American Dental Association, the Academy of General Dentistry, the American Student Dental Association and the American Medical Association.
4. In the letter, the organizations noted that the cost of graduate-level medical and dental education is substantial for students and that while students are able to defer payments during residency, they still accrue interest.
5. The organizations also recognized student loan relief as a workforce issue, pointing out to legislators that assistance from the bill could encourage providers to open practices in underserved areas or enter faculty or research roles.
