If you’re a medical professional—physician, dentist, pharmacist, CRNA, veterinarian, podiatrist, or currently in residency or fellowship—you’ve probably seen how traditional mortgage guidelines don’t always fit real life in medicine.
You may have strong income potential, but you’re also managing student loans, starting a new role under contract, or relocating quickly. That’s exactly why Highlands Residential Mortgage and the Sharpe Mortgage Team offer a Doctor Loan Program. It’s a financing option built specifically for medical professionals.
Quick Answer: A Doctor Loan is a mortgage designed to help eligible medical professionals purchase a home with up to 100% financing, no monthly mortgage insurance, and underwriting built to account for common medical-career realities like student loan debt and employment contracts.
What Is a Doctor Loan?
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Doctor Loan (also called a Medical Professional Loan) is a mortgage program created for qualifying medical professionals. It’s built to support career paths that look different from traditional W-2 borrowers, especially early in your career.
When you finance through the Sharpe Mortgage Team using this program, you can access benefits that include:
- Up to 100% financing (maximum LTV)
- No monthly mortgage insurance (MI)
- Flexible underwriting designed to account for student loans and contract-based careers
- Fixed-rate and adjustable-rate (ARM) options
- Conforming and jumbo loan amounts available
- Purchase and refinance available.
Who Is This Program For?
To use this program, at least one borrower must hold (and provide proof of) an eligible professional designation. Eligible designations include:
- Medical Doctor (MD)
- Doctor of Osteopathy (DO)
- Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS)
- Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD)
- Doctor of Ophthalmology (MD or DO)
- Doctor of Psychiatry (MD or DO)
- Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD)
- Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (VMD)
- Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM)
- Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)
- Medical residents, fellows, or interns with one of the above degree
How Does a Doctor Loan Work?
The process looks a lot like a standard mortgage—application, documentation, underwriting, appraisal, and closing. The difference is how the program is structured around common medical-career realities.
1) You can finance up to 100% of the purchase price
Qualified borrowers can finance up to 100%, which means you may be able to buy while preserving cash for moving expenses, reserves, and life costs during a transition.
2) You don’t pay monthly mortgage insurance
Many low-down-payment loans come with monthly mortgage insurance. With this Doctor Loan program, monthly MI is not required, which can help keep the monthly payment more comfortable.
3) Student loans are treated with medical-career realities in mind
Student loan balances are common in the medical field. This program is designed to evaluate student loans in a way that supports qualified borrowers, rather than automatically sidelining them.
4) It supports contract-based income and relocation timelines
Medical professionals often start new roles under contract and may need to relocate quickly. This program is built to align with those situations so financing can move forward with clarity.
Program Guidelines at a Glance
Here are the key guidelines for the Doctor Loan Program:
- Up to 100% maximum LTV
- 680 minimum FICO
- 50% maximum DTI
- $100,000 minimum loan amount
- $2,000,000 maximum loan amount
- No MI required
- Fixed-rate and ARM options available
- Conforming and jumbo options available
- Purchase and refinance available
Why Medical Professionals Like This Option
This loan program can be especially helpful if you want to:
- Keep more cash in the bank
- Avoid monthly mortgage insurance
- Buy while navigating student loan debt
- Purchase while relocating for a new role
- Move forward even if traditional guidelines feel tighter than your real-life scenario
Doctor Loan FAQs
What is a Doctor Loan?
A Doctor Loan is a mortgage designed for eligible medical professionals. When you finance through the Sharpe Mortgage Team using this program, you can access benefits like up to 100% financing, no monthly mortgage insurance, and an underwriting approach built for medical-career realities.
Who qualifies?
Eligible designations include MD, DO, DDS, DMD, PharmD, CRNA, VMD, DPM, and certain residents/fellows/interns with qualifying degrees. At least one borrower must provide proof of the eligible designation.
Do I need a down payment?
Qualified borrowers can finance up to 100%, which may reduce or eliminate the need for a down payment depending on your scenario.
Is mortgage insurance required?
No—monthly mortgage insurance is not required with this Doctor Loan program.
What credit score do I need?
The program guideline is a 680 minimum FICO.
What loan amounts are available?
Loan amounts range from $100,000 up to $2,000,000, with conforming and jumbo options available.
Can I refinance using this program?
Yes, refinance transactions are available (subject to guidelines and approval).
If you’re a medical professional thinking about buying a home now or planning a move soon, the Sharpe Mortgage Team can help you understand how the Doctor Loan works, what you may qualify for, and how to structure financing in a way that protects your cash flow.
Call the Sharpe Mortgage Team at
(336) 575-9448 to get started.
