Health Professions Scholarships Letter

May 3, 2001

The Honorable Nancy Johnson
U.S. House of Representatives
2113 Rayburn House Office Bldg.
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Representative Johnson:

On behalf of the American Medical Association’s (AMA) 300,000 student and physician members, I am writing to express our strong support for H.R. 885, which would amend the Internal Revenue Code to exclude from gross income certain scholarships related to health professions. We also would support efforts to make your bill language part of a tax bill that will move through Congress.

The AMA is very pleased that you are considering tax relief for students of the health professions. This issue is a high priority for the AMA and its student members. As you may know, the typical medical student departs from medical school with an average of $95,000 in student loan debt. Those students fortunate enough to qualify for a scholarship through the National Health Service Corps program, the Armed Forces Health Professions and Financial Assistance program, the National Institute of Health Undergraduate program, or any state program with similar objectives, should not be penalized through taxation for receiving such scholarship money. Taxing the award reduces its overall value.

Again, the AMA offers our sincerest gratitude to you for introducing H.R. 885. We look forward to working with you toward its passage and enactment.

Respectfully,

E. Ratcliffe Anderson, Jr., MD