Panacea Financial Releases 2nd Annual Research Report of Doctors’ Experience in Residency and Fellowship

Stress about student loan debt and burnout continue to challenge medical trainees.

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas — Panacea Financial, the financial technology company dedicated to providing world class financial services to doctors and doctors’ practices, has released its 2025 Residents and Fellows Survey Report. The annual report explores the financial health, career readiness, and well-being of doctors-in-training nationwide.

This year’s survey reveals both progress and persistent pressure points. Satisfaction with compensation among trainees rose slightly from an average of 4.6 in 2024 to 5.1 in 2025 on a 10-point scale. However, the majority of respondents still reported high levels of financial strain with student loan debt stress increasing dramatically.

Key findings include:

• 53% of trainees report financial stress levels of 8 or higher on a 10-point scale.
• 75% of respondents cite student loan debt as a significant source of stress, a sharp increase from 49% in 2024.
• Time spent working outside of training programs dropped from 36% to 29%.
• The specialties with the highest average student loan debt also reported the highest financial stress levels.
• Pediatrics, family medicine, obstetrics-gynecology, and general surgery faced the most frequent burnout.
• Radiology, emergency medicine, and orthopedic surgery trainees were most likely to feel prepared for their careers.
• 22% of family medicine trainees plan to open their own practice, signaling entrepreneurial ambition despite financial headwinds.

“Residency and fellowship are some of the most demanding years in a doctor’s life, both professionally and financially,” said Dr. Michael Jerkins, President and Co-Founder of Panacea Financial. “Too often, trainees are expected to manage immense responsibility with limited support. We believe that needs to change. Doctors deserve better resources and a more sustainable path through training.”

Panacea Financial developed this annual report to shed light on the real experiences of doctors in residency and fellowship, bringing data and insight to the challenges they face both in training and in life outside of it. By conducting the survey annually, Panacea aims to track sentiment over time and advocate for meaningful change where it’s needed most.

The full 2025 report is available at: panaceafinancial.com/report.