DMD #65 | Medical Education, Student Loans & Work-Life Integration

This episode is sponsored by Lightstone DIRECT. Lightstone DIRECT invites you to partner with a $12B AUM real estate institution as you grow your portfolio. Access the same single-asset multifamily and industrial deals Lightstone pursues with its own capital – Lightstone co-invests a minimum of 20% in each deal alongside individual investors like you. You’re an institution. Time to invest like one.—--Dr. Suzanne Allen is a family physician and Vice Dean for Academic, Rural and Regional Affairs at the University of Washington School of Medicine, overseeing education across the five-state WWAMI region (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, Idaho).With a background in military service, public health, and residency training, Dr. Allen shares her unexpected path into medical education, the joys of teaching, and strategies for work-life integration through supportive teams. The conversation delves into the history and future of student loans, including the impacts of HR1 (passed in July 2025), which eliminates Grad PLUS loans, adjusts federal loan limits, and introduces new repayment options like the Repayment Assistance Program (RAP). Dr. Allen offers practical advice for aspiring physicians navigating these changes and emphasizes advocacy to ensure diverse access to medical careers.Episode HighlightsFrom military service to academic leadership: Dr. Allen's career journeyDiscovering a passion for teaching during residencyOpportunities in medical education amid expanding programsThe importance of precepting and mentoring future physiciansWork-life integration over balance: Insights from UW's Chief Wellness OfficerBuilding supportive teams to handle life's challengesHistory of federal student loans from the GI Bill to modern reformsKey changes in HR1: Elimination of Grad PLUS loans and new limitsRepayment options: Standard plans and the Repayment Assistance ProgramPublic Service Loan Forgiveness and other forgiveness programsPrivate loans as a gap-filler and the need for advocacyEncouraging diverse backgrounds in medicineTop 3 TakeawaysPassion for teaching is key to a fulfilling academic career.Work-life integration thrives on supportive colleagues and flexibility.Advocate for policy changes to keep medical education accessible.About Dr. Suzanne AllenDr. Suzanne Allen was appointed to the position of Vice Dean for Academic, Rural and Regional Affairs for the University of Washington School of Medicine in February 2015. Prior to that, Dr. Allen was the Vice Dean for Regional Affairs for the University of Washington School of Medicine for five year and Idaho WWAMI Assistant Clinical Dean for four years. As the Vice Dean for Academic, Rural and Regional Affairs, Dr. Allen is responsible for the WWAMI program across the five states of Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho. Dr. Allen is originally from Bremerton, Washington and attended the University of Washington receiving her B.S. in Biology. She then attended George Washington University where she received her M.D. and M.P.H. degrees. Following her family medicine residency training at Malcolm Grow Medical Center, Andrews Air Force Base and four years of active duty practicing as a family physician at Ellsworth Air Force Base and Andrews Air Force Base, Dr. Allen joined the physician faculty at the Family Medicine Residency of Idaho in Boise, Idaho in 1999. Before joining the Idaho WWAMI office, she was the Assistant Director and Medical Student Clerkship Coordinator at the Family Medicine Residency of Idaho. Dr. Allen holds a Clinical Professor faculty position within the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine and continues to see her patients at Full Circle Health, Family Medicine Residency, Boise. Dr. Allen is committed to medical education and rural and underserved healthcare in the Northwest and enjoys working across the WWAMI region to help train the next generation of physicians. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzanne-allen-4253013About the Host:Dr. Peter Crane is a board-certified physician, educator, and storyteller with a heart for service and a calling to spotlight doctors who make a difference—in their communities, in medicine, and in the lives they touch.Through Doctors Making a Difference, he brings you into intimate conversations with physicians who have overcome challenges, redefined success, and found purpose in and beyond the clinic. His goal is simple: to help more doctors stay in medicine by showing them what's possible.About the Show:Doctors Making a Difference is more than a podcast—it’s a movement to highlight the good, the gritty, and the deeply human side of medicine.In every episode, Dr. Peter Crane interviews physicians whose stories defy the script. From burnout recovery to bold career pivots, health challenges to quiet leadership, this show honors the truth that healing begins with connection—and doctors, too, deserve to be whole.Visit: ...