Everyone knows that medical school can be expensive, and becoming a Doctor takes a few years.  But what happens if you borrow your way through medical school and then default on your student loans ? I just found an interesting  article on The Wall Street Journal  education page  about a medical school student that owed about $250,000 when she finished school in 2003.   After beginning her residency she did not make payments on her debt but went into deferrment status.  Then when she began making payments they were $1000 a month. In 2007 she went into default on her student loans  and with  the interest and penalties added into her debt, the amount due  swelled to $555,000.  The good news is that she was able to negotiate a repayment plan with her lenders  and should have the entire debt paid off in 351 months.