American Burn Association Raises Concern Over Federal Rule that May Limit Student Loans for Nurses, Physician Assistants, and Other Health Professionals
Monday, November 24, 2025
The American Burn Association (ABA) is raising urgent concerns about a new U.S. Department of Education rule that will limit federal student loans for advanced health care programs. Nursing, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, physical therapy, and licensed clinical social work programs are no longer classified as “professional degrees,” which reduces the amount students can borrow for these critical programs. ABA warns this change threatens workforce stability and access to advanced training in burn care, trauma response, rehabilitation, and other essential health services.
“These disciplines are far more than ‘professional', they are life-saving,” said ABA President, Jeffrey Carter, MD, FABA, FACS. “Their expertise and advanced training stand between tragedy and survival. Protecting these educational pathways is fundamental to ensuring every patient receives the team care, recovery, and hope they deserve.”
What Could Change
The rule comes from recent federal policy activity under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). Earlier this month, the Department of Education advanced OBBBA’s loan provisions through the Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE) negotiated rulemaking committee. While final regulations are expected in early 2026, preliminary guidance indicates that students in these programs will face lower borrowing limits, making it harder to finance advanced degrees.
Under the emerging definitions, several essential clinical disciplines are excluded from “professional degree” status under federal loan rules, including:
Advanced-Practice Nurses (NPs, CNSs, CRNAs)
Physician Assistants
Physical & Occupational Therapists
Licensed Clinical Social Workers
These roles are foundational to burn care, emergency and trauma care, disaster response, rehabilitation, and chronic disease management, and their reclassification carries profound implications for future workforce development and national readiness.
"Sustained investment in nursing education isn’t optional, it’s essential," said ABA Board of Trustees member Emily H. Werthman, PhD, RN, CBRN. "Continued funding ensures we can prepare the next generation of skilled clinicians, support safe patient care, and strengthen the resilience of our healthcare system. The ABA is committed to supporting nursing education as it elevates clinical practice, expands access to expertise, and strengthens the quality of care patients receive."
Why This Matters for Burn Care
Nearly 500,000 people in the U.S. seek medical treatment for burn injuries each year, and about 29,000 of the most severely injured patients require inpatient care at one of 135 ABA-verified burn centers. These centers rely on highly trained interdisciplinary teams, including nurses, physician assistants, and therapists. Limiting access to student loans for these roles could result in:
Shrinking workforce pipelines and fewer clinical educators
Reduced burn center capacity and readiness
Impacts on trauma, disaster response, and rehabilitation services
Potential Risks to National Readiness
Burn centers are critical to the nation’s trauma, emergency, and disaster response system. Workforce shortages directly affect:
Mass-casualty response capability
Burn bed availability
Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and Operating Room (OR) readiness
Pediatric burn access
Rehabilitation and post-acute care capacity
"The United States is often used as a benchmark for optimal burn care, said ABA CEO Ed Dellert, RN, MBA, CAE. Behind every life saved is a well-trained, interdisciplinary team whose expertise, empathy, and commitment make survival and recovery possible. A stable burn care workforce depends on advanced education and rigorous training. Without it, we risk sustaining the level of expertise these patients require.
What ABA is Asking For
The ABA respectfully urges the U.S. Department of Education to:
Reevaluate the ‘professional degree’ classification to reflect the realities of modern healthcare.
Ensure equitable access to federal loan programs for all advanced clinical training programs.
Support policies that strengthen multidisciplinary workforce development across the burn, emergency, and trauma continuum.
Protect rural and underserved communities from additional access burden and workforce loss.
How ABA Members Can Help
Share this message with state and federal legislators, health system leaders, and academic partners.
Post ABA’s message on social media to raise awareness.
Use ABA’s message with colleagues, other professional societies, and community stakeholders to join the conversation.
A stronger, sustainable burn care workforce protects patients, families, and America’s national readiness.
Background / Sources:
Editor’s Note
For more information about ABA, or to request an interview with Dr. Jeffrey Carter or Ed Dellert, contact Susan Urbanczyk at urbanczyk@ameriburn.org.
About the American Burn Association
The American Burn Association (ABA) is dedicated to improving the lives of those affected by burn injuries through advocacy, education, research, and prevention. Founded in 1967, ABA supports burn care professionals and advances the quality of burn care worldwide. For more information, visit ameriburn.org.