Obstetrics & Gynecology vs Family Medicine

Obstetrics & Gynecology

OB/GYN has meaningful PSLF access. Academic OB physicians, those at large nonprofit hospital systems, and community health center physicians qualify. At $391K, the forgiveness amount is significant — often $80–150K — making PSLF genuinely competitive with aggressive payoff for hospital-employed OB/GYN physicians. Subspecialty fellows at academic programs also accumulate qualifying payments during training.

For OB/GYN physicians in private practice or private groups at or above the $391K median, aggressive payoff over 7–9 years is a strong strategy. At this salary, $3–5K/month eliminates $230K in 5–7 years. Refinancing to 4.5–5.5% can meaningfully reduce total interest paid over that window.

Family Medicine

Family medicine physicians are the quintessential PSLF candidates — many work at Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) or nonprofit primary care practices that qualify. With a 3-year residency and lower attending salary relative to specialists, the forgiveness amount can exceed $100K, making PSLF the default recommendation.

If you're moving into private practice or a for-profit setting, refinancing during early attending years makes sense. At $300K attending, target lenders with physician-specific underwriting — your income growth trajectory supports aggressive repayment over 7–9 years.