The American Medical Association Foundation has awarded Physicians of Tomorrow Scholarships to 20 fourth-year medical students.
"These students are truly awe-inspiring. Not only do they possess outstanding academic achievements, but they have also made the commitment to improve public health through volunteer activities, research and leadership roles in their communities," said AMA Foundation President Barney Maynard, MD. "By helping to alleviate their debt load, the AMA Foundation provides them with financial relief and encouragement to attain their professional goals.”
Recipients of the Physicians of Tomorrow Scholarships were nominated by their medical schools and chosen based upon their academic standing and financial status, as well as community involvement, letters of recommendation and personal statement. Each student will receive a $10,000 scholarship to help defray medical school expenses. There are four different categories of scholarships.
The recipients are:
AMA Foundation Scholarships:
- Brittny Burkhalter, University of Texas Medical School at Houston;
- Deanna Cettomai, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine;
- Shelby Dickison, University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine;
- Michael Fox, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine;
- Kenyatta Frazier, Medical University of South Carolina College of Medicine;
- Maria Nava, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA;
- Kristoff Olson, University of North Carolina School of Medicine;
- Reuben Reich, New York Medical College;
- Andrew Scott, Charles Drew/UCLA Medical Education Program;
- Katherine Seymour, University of Kansas School of Medicine;
- Katalin Szabo, Stanford University School of Medicine.
Dr. Lin and Minta Hill Alexander Scholarship (supports an individual attending an Oklahoma medical school):
- Sean Summers, University of Oklahoma College of Medicine.
Johnson F. Hammond, MD Scholarships (supports medical journalism):
- Brittany Bettendorf, Medical College of Wisconsin;
- Lauren Browne, Duke University School of Medicine.
Audio-Digest Foundation Scholarships (supports the communication of science, including mentoring and teaching):
- Valarian Bruce, Medical University of South Carolina College of Medicine;
- Andrew Eads, University of California, Irvine College of Medicine;
- Sean Kivlehan, New York Medical College;
- Michael Milks, Ohio State University College of Medicine;
- Andrea Oliverio, University of Michigan Medical School;
- Bridget Wild, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
The Physicians of Tomorrow Scholarships were created in 2004 to provide financial assistance to medical students facing spiraling medical school debt. On average, medical students in the United States graduate with a debt load of nearly $155,000. A large debt burden may deter many from practicing in underserved areas of the country or practicing primary care medicine.