Author & Founder
Suhin Nallagatla
Founder, MedDebt · UC Berkeley student
I built MedDebt because the tools that help physicians model their $300K+ in debt are either locked behind a $600 consultant fee or too generic to be useful. Every number in this calculator traces back to a published federal source.
Why I built this
The summer before my freshman year at UC Berkeley, I started reading about what medical school actually costs. The numbers were shocking. Not just the tuition, but the interest that compounds through four years of school and three to seven years of residency on a $60K salary.
The existing tools were frustrating. Generic calculators don't model residency. AAMC's tool requires a login. StudentLoanPlanner charges $600 for a consultation that should be table stakes. Nothing showed the full physician trajectory from M1 to attending in a single view.
So I built one. MedDebt models PSLF, aggressive payoff, refinancing, and income-driven repayment with 21 specialty presets, real salary data from Marit Health's 2026 compensation survey, and a net worth crossover chart that shows exactly when a physician comes out ahead under each strategy.
I track federal student loan policy closely: IDR regulations, PSLF rule changes, congressional legislation. The calculator and blog are updated whenever something substantive changes. The 2026 policy changes (SAVE plan vacated, RAP introduced, PAYE/ICR phased out) are all reflected in the current tool.
I'm a student, not a financial advisor. Everything I write is grounded in published federal data from studentaid.gov, AAMC, and peer-reviewed physician compensation surveys. Sources are cited throughout so physicians can verify the numbers themselves.
Areas of expertise
Federal loan policy
Tracks IDR regulations, PSLF rule changes, and legislative updates so physicians don't have to read the Federal Register.
Physician financial modeling
Built the net worth crossover model, PSLF vs. aggressive payoff comparisons, and specialty-specific salary data into a free calculator.
Medical education financing
Deep familiarity with Grad PLUS, subsidized/unsubsidized federal loans, and the financial decisions medical students face from day one.
IDR and forgiveness strategy
Models SAVE (now vacated), IBR, PAYE, ICR, RAP, and the tax implications of income-driven forgiveness for every specialty.
Editorial independence: All content on MedDebt is written independently and is not influenced by lenders, advisors, or advertisers. Data sources are cited throughout. MedDebt may earn a referral commission if you refinance through links on this site — this does not affect editorial content. Learn more about MedDebt.