Medical students concerned about provision in Trump's spending bill: 'It can be very nerve-wracking'

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- For Shannon Allison from Brevard, life has been a full circle. She's now a nurse, studying at the same hospital where she was once admitted for serious health issues.

"I live with a rare genetic disorder called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, and I have had a lifetime of complicated medical issues, and a lot of those were related to pelvic health and living in a little bit more rural area. It was very challenging for me to access the care that I needed," Allison said.

Allison said in western North Carolina, access to women's healthcare is harder to come by. It's what inspired her to make the change from a business background to nursing.

She got her associate's degree, got pinned, and is now studying in a hybrid program at Duke to get her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree and become a nurse practitioner. Allison was able to take classes online, but will be on campus in Durham this fall. It's something she knew would take more time and money.

"I've had a career, and I'm a mother. I have two young kids, and my husband works. And we have created a life that we love. But it was very nerve-wracking to think, OK, I'm going to go back to school," she said.

Allison said the price tag will be steep, as much as $90,000 to complete. She wouldn't have been able to do it without Grad PLUS loans.

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But now, changes under the Big Beautiful Bill would cap loans at $200 thousand maximum for medical students.

It could be a problem, because according to the Education Data Initiative, the average total cost of medical school is more than $238,000.

Allison said she will be grandfathered in, but worries about those who might want to come after her and help their communities.

"It can be very nerve-wracking to think, oh my gosh, am I going to be able to do that? Are those loans going to be there...there's a lot of nuances around it," she said.

As to why these changes are happening, experts say it's a way to ensure borrowers pay back their debts, and to stop the nation's student debt load from growing.

Allison just hopes that whatever happens, future nurses get the chance to get their pins.

"If you want to continue your education, having access to the funds to do that, but making sure that it's something that isn't going to be overwhelmingly stressful or burdensome for you in the long run," she said.