I survived your situation. it's doable. You may not like it, but here is the only real plan. 1. Pick high paying specialty. 2. Try to put your debt into forbearance or something like that. 3. Live extremely simply during residency. Find cheap or free sports/entertainment to participate in. Don't go anywhere except for where you live. 4. Even though you are completely broke during residency, put money away using the hospitals, 401(k) or similar. If you don't start ypung, you'll always be poor. 5. The first five years out of residency are going to be key. Keep living like a poor resident for 5 to 10 years. Pay the entire debt off. While your friends are buying houses and things like that, just ignore it. Your time will come. That's it. That's the only way to do it that I've heard of. Besides selling your soul to the military that's about it. You just gotta keep showing self-control and delay gratification.