I use to have over $133,000 of student loan debt.

We file separately for a student loan strategy. 

Try listening to Real Estate Rookie episode 271. it is a story of how 2 students purchased investment real estate without a consistent source of income.

I have $280,000 in student loans and know that if I were to get a loan it would need to be a physician loan.

Do you have connections to find quality tenants (Tech grad students?)

Of course there is North Georgia College in Dahlonega as well so if it's close to that you might rent it to college students.

You might consider Niche or Specialized Housing like student housing.

Before this he was a student with dreams of becoming a lawyer and he worked and bought a fourplex, living in one and renting the other three.

I am open to looking into other, less expensive markets in SoCal but can't go too far from San Diego since my wife is a student and I work here at the moment.Any recommendations for more affordable upcoming MFR markets that I should be looking at in SoCal?

Beware the sand states, they ebb and flow hardest and fastest in these swings, and be a student of this.