Which degrees qualify, and who decides
Program and regulatory figures verified October 5, 2026. Details change; confirm your scenario with us.
The eligible-degree list is the first thing people want and the thing most often repeated wrongly, because it comes from a lender document rather than from any public rule.
The list
| Degree | Typically |
|---|---|
| MD | Doctor of Medicine |
| DO | Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine |
| DDS / DMD | Dentistry |
| DPM | Podiatric medicine |
| OD | Optometry |
| PharmD | Pharmacy |
| DVM | Veterinary medicine |
| CRNA | Certified registered nurse anaesthetist |
From the Sequoia Medical Professionals Program guide, v1.1, effective March 2, 2026. Residents and fellows qualify as well as practising attendings.
★ Who decides, and why it matters
The programme guide. Not the Medical Board of California, not your licensing body, and not us.
That is worth being explicit about, because it is the source of most of the wrong information in this category. A page that says "nurse practitioners qualify for physician loans" is making a claim about a lender document it has probably not read, and the answer can differ between lenders and between guide versions.
So the honest position: the list above is what this guide says today. If your credential is not on it, the answer is not automatically no — it is a question to ask against the current guide. Ask us.
What we do not advise on
We are lenders. We do not advise on licensure, visa or immigration status, residency-contract terms, or whether a given credential will be recognised in California.
Those questions come up constantly in this category and they belong to your licensing board, your employer, and where relevant an immigration attorney. What we can tell you is how a file underwrites once those things are settled.
What the file needs from you
- Evidence of the credential the programme is being written on.
- Employment documentation — and for a resident or fellow buying ahead of a start date, a signed employment contract is the document the 150-day window runs from. Detail.
- Student loan documentation showing your actual scheduled payment, because that is what the programme can use rather than 1% of the balance. Detail.
The professions people ask about most
CRNA · Dentists · Veterinarians.
In every case the same rule holds: the programme guide decides, the state does not, and nobody should assume eligibility from a web page without checking the current guide.
Frequently asked questions
Which degrees qualify for a physician loan?
MD, DO, DDS, DMD, DPM, OD, PharmD, DVM and CRNA under the Sequoia Medical Professionals Program guide version 1.1, effective March 2, 2026. Residents and fellows qualify alongside attending physicians.Do residents and fellows qualify for physician loans?
Yes. Residents and fellows are eligible under the programme guide, and a physician programme can allow closing up to 150 days before an attending start date on a signed employment contract.Who decides which professions qualify for a physician loan?
The lender's programme guide, not the state or any licensing board. A physician loan is a portfolio product, so the eligible-degree list comes from the guide and can differ between lenders and between guide versions.Do nurse practitioners qualify for a physician loan?
The guide's list covers MD, DO, DDS, DMD, DPM, OD, PharmD, DVM and CRNA. A credential not on that list is a question to put against the current guide rather than an assumption either way.Mike Certo · NMLS #260555 · Cornerstone First Mortgage NMLS #173855 · Equal Housing Lender. Educational content, not a loan commitment and not legal, tax, or licensure advice. Physician-loan program terms, eligible degrees, and overlays are set by the lender and change; California loan-repayment program terms and application cycles change too. Confirm your scenario with us and your program administrator. All loans are subject to borrower and property qualification, including credit and income review.