MedDebt vs AAMC Loan Calculator
The AAMC Medical Loan Optimization Calculator (MLOC) is the official tool from the Association of American Medical Colleges. Here’s how it compares to MedDebt for physician-specific loan planning.
Bottom line
The AAMC MLOC is a useful starting point but is limited by a required login, no specialty salary presets, and no residency income modeling. MedDebt models the full physician journey — from residency income to attending salary — across 21 specialties, with no account required. DO students and Caribbean graduates can use MedDebt; the AAMC tool is not designed for them.
Feature-by-feature comparison
| Feature | MedDebt | AAMC MLOC |
|---|---|---|
| Login required | No — runs entirely in the browser, no account needed | Yes — requires AAMC account to access any results |
| Specialty salary presets | 21 specialty presets with Marit Health 2026 data (Neurosurgery $948K, Pediatrics $250K, etc.) | Generic salary input only — no specialty presets |
| Models residency income separately | Yes — enter actual resident salary (~$60–75K/yr) then attending salary | Limited — does not separately model PGY salary phase |
| Strategies compared | PSLF, IBR, aggressive payoff, and refinancing — all side-by-side in dollars | IBR and standard repayment — limited strategy comparison |
| PSLF savings calculation | Full PSLF model: 120 qualifying payments at IBR amount, remaining balance forgiven tax-free | Basic PSLF estimate — does not show specialty-specific forgiveness amounts |
| Refinancing comparison | Built-in refinancing comparison with breakeven analysis and lender table | Not included |
| AI co-pilot | Natural language input — describe your situation and the AI sets your calculator inputs | Not available |
| Net worth visualization | Net worth crossover chart showing when your net worth turns positive | Not available |
| DO and Caribbean med students | Fully supported — no AAMC membership required | AAMC tools are designed for MD-granting member schools; DO/Caribbean students not well served |
| Cost | Free, no paywall, no data collected | Free with AAMC account — but requires registration |
| 2026 policy updates | SAVE flagged as eliminated; RAP plan included for loans disbursed July 2026+; PAYE/ICR sunset noted | Update cadence unclear; may not reflect March 2026 SAVE elimination or RAP plan |
Who should use each tool
Use MedDebt if…
- • You want to compare PSLF, aggressive payoff, and refinancing side by side
- • You are a DO, Caribbean, or PA student not served by AAMC tools
- • You want specialty-specific salary presets without manual research
- • You want to model residency income separately from attending salary
- • You don’t want to create an account
- • You want to use an AI co-pilot to set inputs from natural language
Use AAMC MLOC if…
- • You are already using the AAMC student services portal and want a single login
- • You only need a basic IBR vs standard repayment estimate
- • Your school’s financial aid office has specifically recommended MLOC
Frequently asked questions
What is the AAMC Medical Loan Optimization Calculator (MLOC)?
The AAMC MLOC is a loan repayment planning tool offered by the Association of American Medical Colleges. It allows medical students to model IBR and standard repayment scenarios. It requires an AAMC account to access and is designed primarily for students at AAMC member (MD-granting) schools.
Does the AAMC calculator include specialty salary data?
No. The AAMC MLOC uses a generic salary input field. It does not include specialty-specific salary presets. MedDebt includes 21 specialty presets with 2026 Marit Health salary data, so a neurosurgery resident and a pediatrics resident see completely different repayment projections without having to look up their specialty salary separately.
Can DO students use the AAMC calculator?
The AAMC MLOC is built for students at AAMC member schools, which are MD-granting institutions. DO students and Caribbean medical school students are not well served by AAMC tools. MedDebt does not require any affiliation — it works for MD, DO, Caribbean, and international medical graduates equally.
Does the AAMC calculator account for residency income?
The AAMC MLOC has limited modeling of the residency phase. MedDebt lets you enter your actual PGY salary (typically $60,000–75,000/year) separately from your attending salary, which dramatically changes the PSLF math — particularly for PSLF candidates whose residency years count as qualifying payments at low income-driven amounts.
Which calculator should I use for PSLF planning?
For detailed PSLF modeling, MedDebt is more complete. It models 120 qualifying payments at the actual IBR amount during residency, calculates the forgiven balance, and compares PSLF savings to aggressive payoff and refinancing in dollar terms side by side. The AAMC MLOC provides a basic PSLF estimate but does not show the specialty-by-specialty comparison or the refinancing breakeven.
Try the free physician loan calculator
No login. No paywall. 21 specialty presets, PSLF vs refinancing comparison, and an AI co-pilot — all in your browser.
Open the calculator →