As a reminder, comments to the US Department of Education regarding the proposed exclusion of the Master of Public Health (MPH) and Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) from the definition of a professional degree are due March 2. The proposed change would reduce federal student loan eligibility for public health students, creating new financial barriers and potentially weakening the pipeline into a workforce essential to prevention, preparedness, and community health.

Institutions, faculty, students, alumni, and partners are strongly encouraged to submit comments before the deadline. ASPPH’s previously submitted comment letter may serve as a guide, particularly the introduction and key policy arguments. Submissions that include institutional data, workforce impact examples, and personal stories will help underscore the real-world consequences of this proposal.

In addition to encouraging the public health community to submit comments, we also encourage our members to contact their Members of Congress through ASPPH’s action form to reinforce the importance of protecting public health education. Additionally, students may use our Op-Ed template to submit personal stories to their local newspapers.