Debt management

We understand that you might be anxious about financing your medical education and the debt that results. Our goal is to not only help you find the financial assistance you need but also to help you learn how to manage your finances and your educational debt. If you need additional information or just want someone to talk to, please do not hesitate to contact us at cmfao@uci.edu,  (949) 824-6476, or just stop by our office, and we will do our best to assist you.

CashCourse

The Financial Aid Office has partnered with CashCourse to provide online workshops on various debt management and financial literacy topics so that you can get access to important information 24/7. CashCourse was developed by the National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE) to help college students with resources that can build money management skills.

Association of American Medical Colleges 

The Financial Aid Office has also partnered with the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) to use their resources. We refer students to the AAMC's website to utilize their Financial Information, Resources, Services and Tools (FIRST) program which provides free resources to help medical students make smart financial decisions. Also, through the AAMC's Financial Wellness program, medical students have access to multiple articles, tools and calculations to help with financial wellness. This video is a good place to start. 

Financial literacy sessions

The School of Medicine Financial Aid Office also offers a series of debt management and financial literacy presentations. These sessions are designed to help ease the transition to and from medical school and to help build the skills to manage educational debt and personal finance. Sessions are in-person and are presented by the financial aid office staff and/or experts in the field. If these presentations aren’t your thing, you’ll also be counseled on debt management from your initial orientation and throughout your medical school career here.

Financial literacy survey

Every year, the SOM Financial Aid Director develops an online survey designed to assess the student body’s debt awareness and financial literacy. From there, the results are used to custom tailor the group or one-on-one presentations for the upcoming year. Here are some of the topics:

• Money Management for Entering Medical School Students
• Budgeting for MS1 students
• Budgeting for MS2 & Step 1 costs
• Budgeting for MS3 & Step 2 costs
• Budgeting for MS4 & Residency Interview costs
• Loan Forgiveness Options
• Transitioning from Medical School to Residency
• Repaying Student Loans (basics)
• The Cost of Applying for a Medical Residency
• How to Manage Student Loans During Residency
• Repayment Strategies for Graduating Medical Students