Assembly Member Brian Manktelow joined students Sarah Fischer, Benjamin Semegran, Danil Ratnikov, Liam Moore and Faith Putney in Albany for Advocacy Day, where the student delegation met with state legislators and staff.
Medical Students Take the Lead in Albany Advocacy Effort
By Dawn M. Cwierley
Published May 13, 2026
Amid ongoing discussions about the cost of medical education and how students finance their training, medical and premedical students from the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences traveled to the New York State Capitol earlier this spring. There, they engaged lawmakers on recent federal student loan changes and their implications for access to medical education and the future physician workforce.
Spotlighting Risks of New Federal Loan Caps
In New York State, medical school expenses can approach $100,000 per year at private institutions and approximately $80,000 at public programs. Recent federal loan caps limit how much students can borrow annually and in total, leaving a significant gap between available financing and the full cost of attendance. As a result, the need for stable and predictable financing pathways has become increasingly urgent.
The students noted that while medical education remains accessible for some, recent changes are reshaping how others finance their training. Many are now weighing a broader array of lending options, each with different requirements and long-term repayment implications. For some, these challenges are significant: nearly two-thirds of Pell Grant recipients would not qualify for private educational loans, underscoring how affordability continues to shape who can enter and remain in the health care workforce.
Concerned about how these changes could affect access to medical education and efforts to build a diverse, statewide physician workforce, a student-led team from the Jacobs School organized an Albany advocacy day focused on state-level policy solutions.
From Campus to Capitol
The delegation of 20 students met with more than 30 state legislators and staff members as part of the Medical Society of the State of New York (MSSNY) Advocacy Day.
“This wasn’t about showing up and hoping someone would listen,” said Benjamin Semegran, a third-year medical student and recent president of the school’s Public Health Interest Group (PHIG).
“We came prepared to explain how these policy changes intersect with access, equity, and the long-term health care workforce.”
Building on these efforts, students also contributed to a newly introduced bill, developed in collaboration with Assembly Member Phil Steck, that would freeze SUNY tuition at the time of matriculation for both two- and four-year students. The proposal is designed to provide greater transparency and predictability in tuition costs, helping students more effectively plan for the financial demands of their education.
Students advocated for several solutions, including the creation of a New York State supplemental loan program to bridge gaps in federal lending, expansion and reinstatement of the Graduate Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), and continued investment in programs that support medical education and physician service in underserved areas.
Throughout the day, students framed affordability as both a workforce and public health issue—one with implications that extend beyond campuses and into communities across the state. Midway through the visit, the group was formally recognized on the Assembly floor by Assembly Member Karen McMahon, who represents North Campus in the 146th District.
“It was an affirming moment,” said Sanjida Riea, a third-year medical student and PHIG treasurer. “It reinforced that students have a role in these conversations and that firsthand perspective matters.”
Public Health Interest Group leaders Benjamin Semegran, Megan Barber and Katie Holzmacher accept the Student Organization Award for Excellence in Academics and Service at the University at Buffalo’s Pillars of Leadership Awards.
Early Signs of Impact
Soon after, students learned that elements of their advocacy were reflected in the Assembly’s One-House Budget. Proposed measures include the New York Reinvests in Student Educational Supports (NY RISES) loan program, designed to supplement federal loans once students reach their borrowing limit, and the reinstatement of Graduate TAP.
PHIG’s efforts have also been recognized on campus, where it recently received the Student Organization Award for Excellence in Academics and Service as part of the Pillars of Leadership Awards, honoring commitment to leadership, service and the university community.
For Megan Barber, a first-year medical student and current PHIG president, the experience highlighted how education policy and patient care are closely connected.
“Advocacy for patients starts with protecting access to medical education,” Barber said. “The structure of medical training plays an important role in shaping the physician workforce that serves communities across the state.”
As students returned to Buffalo, many described the visit as a reminder that medicine and public policy are deeply interconnected — and that engagement early in training can help prepare physicians to lead both inside and beyond the clinical setting.
