Recently, the Department of Education revised the definition of professional degrees; these changes exclude nurses, nurse practitioners (NPs), and physician assistants, which are expected to result in significant cuts in financial support for those working in these professions. If the proposal is finalized, it would mean it could become more difficult for graduate nursing students to complete their studies and lower registered nurse application and graduation rates.
The decision to remove nursing and PA degrees from “professional degree” status is not just a financial policy choice; This is a labor policy choice. Unfortunately, it went in the wrong direction at the worst possible time.
We need to expand, not reduce, the health care workforce
The doctor shortage is not easing, which is why the news has sent shockwaves through the industry. Every health system leader I work with is planning for a future where we must scale Enhance care capabilities through roles such as advanced practice provider (APP) and physician assistant (PA); for the vast majority, doing so is not a choice but a necessity.
While we are seeing a reduction in the clinical workforce nationwide, the situation is particularly acute in rural communities; according to the American Medical Association, 65% of rural areas lack primary care physicians. Nurses are critical to filling this gap: of the 355,000 licensed nurses in the United States, nearly 90% are trained in primary care, and 70% of active licensed practical nurses work in primary care. If we don't increase the number of people providing this critical and continuing care, we risk further widening the care gaps that already exist (more than 34 percent — 120 million Americans — live in medical deserts).
These clinicians are not a backup plan; they are plans
They are already on the front lines of primary care, chronic disease management, urgent care, IV therapy, functional medicine and countless other community settings. With three-quarters of adults in the United States living with at least one chronic disease and more than half living with two or more chronic conditions, there is a great need for more providers focused on preventive care and wellness, especially as the population continues to age.
As the care continuum evolves, there will be a need to rethink not just how care is delivered, but also who is best suited to provide it. For example, more and more people are integrating wellness into their overall personal care. Practices such as intravenous hydration, red light therapy, cold exposure and yoga are becoming increasingly popular as ways to prevent disease and promote a healthier lifestyle. The jury is still out on whether such activities will have measurable results on health outcomes (such as reduced rates of chronic disease), but the exponential growth in this area highlights the fact that people think about overall health differently, or more broadly. So we need to think about how as providers we can meet these needs. After all, reducing the incidence of chronic disease not only reduces costs but, more importantly, saves lives.
When we take such drastic action that could eliminate thousands of potential providers from across the continuum of care, we prevent any progress.
What now?
Policy should protect and enhance the pipeline of health care professionals, not narrow its scope through outdated definitions that ignore the economic realities of today's health care. In December, more than 100 legislators from both parties sent a letter urging the department to include graduate nursing degrees in the “professional degree” distinction; a final decision will be made by July 2026. It is important, at the same time, that we use our voices to let lawmakers in Washington and those at the Department of Education know that our health care system cannot survive without these critical roles and call on them to add nursing graduate degrees to the list.
Photo: gpointstudio, Getty Images
Dr. Chris Seitz is a board-certified emergency physician and CEO and chief medical officer of GuardianMD. He holds medical licenses in all 50 states and founded two healthcare education companies before co-founding GuardianMD in 2021, which helps nurses and other healthcare professionals launch and expand their healthcare businesses by providing medical oversight, compliance and telemedicine resources. Dr. Seitz is passionate about increasing access to health care by empowering all health care providers to work within their scope of practice and run successful and innovative practices.
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