A national survey of 7,261 medical students, representing 15 percent of total enrollment at each of 110 medical schools addressed specific questions including: (1) Which students expressed a need for financial aid?; (2) do the neediest students receive financial aid?; (3) To what extent do students intending to serve in primary care specialties and in physician shortage areas receive financial aid?; (4) What is the role of medical schools, federal and state governments, private foundations and lending institutions, and the students and their parents in supplying the income needed to meet student expenses?; and (5) Which types of income are most important in financing medical students? Most students were found to be dependent on a number of funding sources. If the amount of assistance from loans and scholarships decreases in the future, many students who cannot call on their parents for support may face financial hardships in completing their medical education. Data are presented in narrated tabular form, and the questionnaire used in the study is included. (Author/MSE)