Average medical school student debt can reach up to $200,000. Osmosis is here to help medical students avoid starting their professional life mired in loan interest. Read on for a list of US-based medical school scholarships that can help defray the steep costs for med students.
Why you should apply for medical school scholarships
In addition to helping you defray the significant cost of medical school, applying for scholarships provides other benefits as well. Many scholarship application procedures include an interview, which is a great way to hone your interview skills before applying for residencies and jobs. You will also have to gather documentation that will be handy to have for years to come, including test scores, transcripts, and an up-to-date resume or CV. Finally, the organization and self-reflection required to successfully apply for scholarships are skills that will serve you well throughout your career – and life in general!
Any way you look at it, even if you don’t end up getting the award, the journey of applying is worthwhile itself. And who knows, you may even end up with a hefty scholarship at the end of the process!
Medical school scholarships: Checklist
Most applications are going to ask you for the following list of documents. Some programs require official copies of your transcripts or scores; make sure you closely follow the rules of each specific scholarship you’re applying for.
- School transcripts
- CV or resume
- Letters of recommendation from faculty
- Letters of recommendation from administration
- Personal statement
- Essay
- Exam scores (MCAT, USMLE)
Less frequent documents requested:
- Budget
- Financial statement
- Nomination from dean’s office
- Registrar statement
- Background information
List of US-based medical school scholarships
Osmosis Raise the Line Scholarship
Priding itself in supporting student educational journeys, the Osmosis Raise the Line Scholarship targets U.S students studying medicine and health sciences.Dollar amount: This scholarship awards a grand prize of $5,000 for the most outstanding student and five prizes of $1,000 to other students.
Application process: To apply for the scholarship, students must provide their personal information including contact numbers and details of the degrees that they are pursuing. They should also fill out a questionnaire and attach a video submission of no more than five minutes in length. This entry must be submitted through a provided application link.
Dates and deadlines: The deadline date for this scholarship application is August 15th, 2021.
Eligibility: The scholarship is aimed at students who are enrolled in or accepted into health professions programs including but not limited to MD, DO, Physician Assistant, BSN, RN, NP, pharmacology, dentistry, or EMT/Paramedic. Eligible candidates include incoming first-year students, as well as all current students who have at least 1 academic year remaining in their studies. The scholarship is offered to US citizens. Only one entry per person.
Physicians of Tomorrow Awards
Dollar Amount: $10,000
Application Process: Rising third-year students must submit an application along with a personal statement, letters of recommendation, and a financial statement. The foundation also requests medical school transcripts, exam scores, and a statement from your school’s registrar.
Dates and Deadlines: Applications open in January each year and run through March.
Eligibility: Run by the American Medical Association (AMA) Foundation, the Physicians of Tomorrow scholarship awards eight 10,000 scholarships each year. They intend to support a diverse cohort of students entering their final year of medical school. Students must be nominated by the dean’s office of their medical school, entering their final year of study, and be permanent residents of the US.
Tylenol Future Care Scholarship
Dollar Amount: $5,000 or $10,000
Application Process: The initial application will include your college GPA, medical or health professional school records, community or volunteer involvement, and an essay. The review committee will choose semifinalists, who must provide transcripts and a headshot. The committee will then choose the finalists.
Dates and Deadlines: Application period opens May 1st and closes July 1st.
Eligibility: Applicants must be in graduate school or a college senior entering graduate school in the fall; students must have one or more years of school remaining before graduation. Applicants will be asked for proof of enrollment in medical school, nursing and/or pharmacy. Must be a resident of the 50 states, Puerto Rico or the District of Columbia.
National Health Service Corps Scholarship Program
Dollar Amount: Varies, but includes up to four years of tuition, other medical school expenses, fees and a monthly stipend.
Application Process: The application involves providing detailed information about your citizenship, enrollment, and background information. Essays and letters of recommendation are also required. A full list of application materials can be found on the NHSC website.
Dates and Deadlines: Applications are due around May of each year (the 2021 deadline has already passed) and awards or denials will be notified by September 30th.
Eligibility: This scholarship supports students who pursue a career in primary health care. This includes primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, certified nurse practitioners, dentists, and physician assistants. Recipients commit to working after graduation for one year per scholarship support received in NHSC-designated rural, urban or tribal communities with limited access to health care. Applicants must be US citizens or nationals.
Leopold Schepp Foundation Scholarship
Dollar Amount: Up to $8,500
Application Process: Once you have ensured you are eligible for application, print and return the request for an application. A committee will review your eligibility and invite you to fill out a formal application.
Dates and Deadlines: The application period for the 2022-23 academic year will open in July 2021. The decisions will be announced by May 2022.
Eligibility: Applicants must meet a list of eligibility requirements. Graduate students must be 40 or younger to apply; undergrads must be 30 years old or younger. Applicants must have at least a 3.3 GPA on a 4.0 scale, and ABD Ph.D. candidates are not eligible. Scholars may not be acquiring a second degree, and must be US citizens. An interview in New York is required of each candidate.
Pisacano Scholars Leadership Program
Dollar Amount: Up to $7,000 per year for a maximum of $28,000 over four years
Application Process: Applicants must complete an application, an essay, letters of recommendation, and official transcripts. You must also provide official exam scores and a copy of your CV. Students will also be required to complete an interview with a local family physician.
Dates and Deadlines: Applications are due in March of each year.
Eligibility: Applicants must be fourth-year medical students at a US institution and have declared Family Medicine as their specialty. Students will be evaluated on academics, leadership, interpersonal and communication skills, and community involvement.
Wellesley College M.A. Cartland Shackford Medical Fellowship
Dollar Amount: Up to $11,000
Application Process: The application involves an application form, three letters of recommendation, a resume or CV, a personal statement, and transcripts. The committee will also review a budget submitted by the applicant.
Dates and Deadlines: Application period ends in January of each year.
Eligibility: This fellowship is open to students at any US institution, but is open to international students as well. This scholarship is only for female students who are studying medicine, though not psychiatry.
Herbert W. Nickens Medical Student Scholarships
Dollar Amount: $5,000
Application Process: This is a nomination-based scholarship. Nomination packets must include a formal nomination from the medical school Dean’s office, letters of recommendation, a personal statement from the student, and the nominee’s CV. The competitive scholarship looks for leadership skills and outstanding achievement.
Dates and Deadlines: Applications are due in early April of each year.
Eligibility: Each LCME-accredited medical school in the US may nominate one student each year. Students must be US citizens, residents, or DACA recipients. The nominee must be entering their third year of medical school and have demonstrated leadership capabilities and dedication to ending racial inequities in access to health care.
US-based medical school scholarships for minorities in the US
Underrepresented in Medicine
Dollar Amount: $10,000
Application Process: Students must be nominated by the dean’s office of their medical school. The application includes a form, personal statement, and signed financial statement. It must be accompanied by letters of recommendation, school transcripts, test scores and a statement from the registrar.
Dates and Deadlines: Application period runs from January to March of each year.
Eligibility: One of the Physicians of Tomorrow Awards from the AMA, the Underrepresented in Medicine scholarship is open to African American, Latinx, or indigenous American students who demonstrate a desire to practice medicine in traditionally underserved communities. An accredited US-based medical school may nominate two students each year.
Diverse Medical Scholars Program
Dollar Amount: $7,000 per year, renewable
Application Process: In addition to your application, you will propose a 200-hour community health service project and identify a mentor who will work with you to complete the project.
Dates and Deadlines: The application period typically runs from August to September of each year.
Eligibility: Applicants must be second to fourth year medical students at a US institution, be a member of an underrepresented minority group, demonstrate leadership skills and a commitment to working in underserved communities after graduation.
National Medical Fellowships (NMF)
Dollar Amount: From $1,500 up to $12,500
Application Process: Varies by fellowship program; check website for details
Dates and Deadlines: Varies by fellowship program; check website for details
Eligibility: NMF’s mission is to support underrepresented minority students as they study and practice medicine and health professions. Applicants must be an identified member of one of the following groups: African American, Latinx, indigenous American, or of Asian or Pacific Island descent. NMF offers a number of different scholarships, and eligibility should be confirmed before applying.
The Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans
Dollar Amount: Up to $90,000 over two years
Application Process: The application requires proof of eligibility, higher education history, the programs you seek support for, and three letters of recommendation. Additional requirements include a resume, two essays, transcripts, and standardized test scores.
Dates and Deadlines: The application deadline typically closes in October of each year. Seventy-seven finalists will be asked to attend interviews in January and February, and award recipients will be selected from the group by March.
Eligibility: Applicants must be a New American – either an immigrant or the child of immigrants to the US. Students must be enrolled in or entering graduate school at the time of application. For 2022, you would have completed your bachelor’s degree by fall of 2022. Finally, your medical program must be intentionally in-person. That is, fully online degree programs are not eligible for support. All students must be 30 years old or younger. The program has added criteria of demonstrated excellence, creativity, commitment to the values of the US Constitution, and show great promise in their future endeavors.
Point Foundation Scholarships
Dollar Amount: Depends on financial situation
Application Process: There are two rounds for the application. The first involves an online application with transcripts and standardized test scores, if applicable. There is a second scholarship round after semi-finalists are chosen, which involves an interview or, during COVID-19, a virtual or video portion.
Dates and Deadlines: Application period opens in November and closes in January.
Eligibility: The Point Foundation supports students who are “out” as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer. The scholarship intends to be a “last provider,” which means they will fill in the gaps left by all other sources of funding that the student has received. Therefore, the amount awarded to each finalist may be different. Applicants must be enrolled in a full-time, degree granting graduate or undergraduate program; it is not exclusive to medical school students.
Indian Health Service Health Profession Scholarships
Dollar amount: IHS contributes to tuition, fees and expenses and provides a monthly stipend of at least $1,500
Application Process: Applicants provide transcripts and faculty/employer evaluations; most weight is placed upon essays in which applicants explain their career goals and how they can address inequities faced by Native Americans in health care settings.
Dates and Deadlines: Application period opens in December and runs through January. Multiple rounds of selection take place between March and June, and funding begins in August.
Eligibility: Applicants must be US citizens and members of “a federally recognized, state-recognized or terminated American Indian Tribe or Alaska Native village.” Recipients of the award commit to a two-year period of serving in a health profession role in an Indian health facility.
Endowment for South Asian Students of Indian Descent Scholarship Fund
Dollar Amount: $3,500
Application Process: The ESASID scholarship application asks for transcripts, a letter on school letterhead confirming enrollment, two letters of recommendation, and an essay.
Dates and Deadlines: Application period opens in July and ends in September.
Eligibility: Applicants must be of South Asian descent and entering their second, third or fourth year at an accredited Pennsylvania medical school. Students must be residents of either Pennsylvania or New Jersey.
Chinese American Medical Society Scholarships
Dollar Amount: $5,000
Application Process: The process asks for an application, a current resume or CV, two letters of recommendation, and a letter from your dean’s office confirming you are in good standing.
Dates and Deadlines: Application period closes March 31st.
Eligibility: Applicants must be a second, third, or fourth year medical student in good standing at an accredited US medical or dental school. Applicants must also be current or pending members of the Chinese American Medical Society.
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Looking for an inclusive nursing scholarship award? Look no further than the Osmosis Raise the Line Scholarship. Apply today!
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