The new attending's student-loan checklist
The jump from trainee to attending is the moment your loan strategy either pays off or unravels. Your payment will rise, the refinancing math may flip, and a few first-year decisions set your trajectory. Here's the checklist.
Your first-year checklist
- Re-run the PSLF-vs-refinance decision at your real attending income — it can change now that you're earning more. See our PSLF vs refinancing framework.
- If you're on PSLF: confirm your attending employer still qualifies, keep certifying, and don't let a higher income scare you off — you may be closer to 120 than you think.
- If you're not on PSLF: this is usually when refinancing makes sense. Shop rates and consider the shortest term you can afford while "living like a resident" for a couple more years.
- Check the legacy IBR payment cap. If you first borrowed before July 1, 2026 and qualify for capped IBR, your payment may be far lower than RAP at an attending income.
- Plan for the tax bomb if you're on a non-PSLF forgiveness track — start saving for it now. Use the tax-bomb calculator.
- Don't let lifestyle creep eat the window. The 2–3 years after training are when disciplined payoff or aggressive PSLF positioning pays the most.
The attending trap: assuming your training-era plan still fits. A 4x income jump can flip the optimal strategy overnight — re-running the numbers in your first attending year is the highest-ROI hour you'll spend.
Don't guess — get your personalized plan
AttendingFi runs the real federal-rules math on your exact numbers — PSLF, RAP, capped IBR, refinancing, and your year-by-year income — and shows its work. Free, no login to see your answer, and yours to keep as your career changes.
Run my numbers →FAQ
What should a new attending do with student loans?
Re-run the PSLF-vs-refinance decision at your new income, confirm your employer's PSLF status if applicable, consider refinancing if you're not pursuing forgiveness, and plan for the tax bomb if you're on long-term IDR forgiveness.
Should new attendings refinance?
Often yes if you're not pursuing PSLF and have strong income relative to debt — the first attending years are an ideal time to refinance and pay down aggressively. If you're on PSLF, usually not.
Is it too late to start PSLF as an attending?
No. If you have a qualifying employer, payments still count — and any qualifying training payments you banked carry over. Run your numbers to see how close you are.
Educational estimates, not financial, tax, or legal advice. Verify program rules at studentaid.gov and confirm major decisions with a qualified advisor. See our methodology and disclosures.