Dr. Rene Valles is a medical doctor specializing in psychiatry at Davis Behavioral Health. In 2022, he had paid off all but $20,000 of his $300,000 student loans. This remaining debt qualified for loan repayment through Utah’s Health Care Workforce Financial Assistance Program.
Dr. Valles has more free time because of the support to pay off his student loans. “This program has given me more time to volunteer because I haven’t had to work 2 or 3 jobs at a time to keep up with my loan payments. I’ve given lectures, taught parent training, and provided student mentorship,” Dr. Valles said.
Due to the heavy burden of student loan debt, many new healthcare providers choose to work in private practice to maximize their earning potential. When Dr. Valles attended his 20-year college reunion a few years ago, he noticed some of his peers who had chosen to work in private practice were unhappy.
“Many of my colleagues made choices about where they worked after school because of their student loans. Now, they are burned out and can’t wait for retirement,” Dr. Valles said. “I feel like I’m already retired because I see that I’m making an impact and I love what I’m doing.”
Dr. Valles is also on faculty at the University of Utah School of Medicine. He shares his professional experience with students to help them consider their options after college. Many of the students he speaks with also have student loans. “I want to encourage the next generation to pursue mental health professions like social work, therapy, and to serve underserved communities in Utah,” Dr. Valles said.
He tells students about Utah’s loan repayment programs in the hope that they will choose to serve communities that have the highest needs. “I think it’s important that students pursue what they’re passionate about despite the financial burdens because they’ll be happier in the long run.”
Davis Behavioral Health began in 1972 as a mental health agency and became a 501(c)(3) non-profit. Each year, they provide roughly 10,000 individuals with mental/behavioral health treatment.
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