Medical Education

Minority Scholars Award
Supported in part by Pfizer, Inc

The American Medical Association (AMA) Foundation Minority Scholars Award provides debt relief to medical students while promoting diversity in the medical profession. These $10,000 awards are presented annually to 12 medical students from groups historically underrepresented in the medical profession. The awards are offered in collaboration with the AMA Minority Affairs Consortium, with support from Pfizer Inc.

Eligibility

The Minority Scholars Award recognizes personal commitment to improving minority health status, scholastic achievement and financial need among minority students. Eligible nominees are medical students demonstrating financial need from one of the following underrepresented minority groups: African American/Black, American Indian, Native Hawaiian, Alaska Native and Hispanic/Latino. Nominees must be a permanent resident or citizen of the United States in their first or second year at an accredited U.S. medical school. Previous recipients of this award are not eligible.

Each medical school is invited to submit up to two nominees. Students who are interested in applying for the Minority Scholars Award must do so through the medical school dean’s office or the dean’s designate. AMA Foundation scholarship information has been sent to the offices of the dean, student affairs, minority affairs and financial aid. Each medical school should determine the appropriate nominator/designate for the Minority Scholars Award.  The dean or dean’s designate chooses up to two scholarship nominees at his or her discretion.  After the students have been nominated, the medical school administrator and the student can work together to collect the necessary documentation for submission.

Timetable and required materials

The AMA Foundation must receive completed materials no later than April 15, 2010.  All required information must be included for the nominee to be considered for the award.

Required nomination materials          

• Application form, including the AMA Foundation student financial statement. The financial statement must be completed by the medical school financial-aid office.
• Three supporting letters:
  • Personal statement from the student outlining his or her career goals in the field of medicine—may not exceed one typed page with 10- to 12-point font
  • Signed letter of recommendation from the office of the dean or dean’s designate
  • Signed letter of recommendation from a faculty member at the medical school
• Medical school transcript

Submission Instructions and Deadline     

• We prefer applications submitted via email: Please get all the required signatures and scan documents into an attachment or attachments. Send to scholarships@ama-assn.org 
• You may also fax your application: (312) 464-4142
• If you choose to mail the application materials, please use a courier service such as FedEx, UPS, or DHL, rather than USPS First Class, to better ensure a timely arrival. Mail to: AMA Foundation, ATTN: Minority Scholars Award, 515 N. State St., Chicago, IL 60654

All materials must be received at the AMA Foundation on or before April 15 at 5:00pm Central Standard Time.  Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

For more information, contact: amafoundation@ama-assn.org or call (312) 464-4200.

The Physicians of Tomorrow Scholarships

The American Medical Association (AMA) Foundation, with support from the AMA Alliance, has created The Physicians of Tomorrow Scholarships to ease medical students’ burdensome debt load. Each medical school can nominate one person for each of the three different scholarship opportunities (3 nominees in total).  The number of recipients is determined after all applications have been received. Typically, 8-12 recipients in total are selected. All scholarships take into consideration academic excellence and financial need. 

Each $10,000 scholarship is based on different eligibility requirements.

• Physicians of Tomorrow Scholarship: These are ‘general’ Foundation scholarships and selection is based on academic excellence and financial need.
• Physicians of Tomorrow Scholarship, supported by the Audio-Digest Foundation: Selection is based on a commitment to “the communication of science.” Communication of science may be defined as activities such as mentoring, and/or teaching.
• Physicians of Tomorrow Scholarship, supported by the Johnson F. Hammond, MD, Fund: Selection is based on a commitment to a career in medical journalism.

Additionally, medical schools in the state of Oklahoma may submit 2 additional nominees for the following scholarship opportunity:

• Physicians of Tomorrow Scholarship, supported by the Dr. Lin and Minta Hill Alexander Fund:  The recipient of this scholarship must currently attend medical school in that state of Oklahoma.  Selection is based on academic excellence and financial need. 

Eligibility

All nominees for each of the above Physicians of Tomorrow Scholarships must be either current third year students or approaching their final year of medical school.  They must be currently enrolled in an accredited U.S. medical school. Nominees must be permanent residents or citizens of the United States.

Each medical school may submit one nominee for each of the three Physicians of Tomorrow Scholarship opportunities (i.e., each school may submit up to three nominees total). Oklahoma medical schools may submit an additional two nominees for a special scholarship honoring the late Dr. Lin Alexander, a dedicated Oklahoma physician and his late wife Minta Alexander.

Students interested in applying for the Physicians of Tomorrow Scholarships must do so through the medical school dean’s office or the dean’s designate. AMA Foundation scholarship information has been sent to the offices of the dean, student affairs, minority affairs and financial aid. Each medical school should determine the appropriate nominator/designate for the Physicians of Tomorrow Scholarships. The dean or dean’s designate chooses scholarship nominees at his or her discretion.  After the students have been nominated, the medical school administrator and the student can work together to collect the necessary documentation for submission.

Timetable and required materials

The AMA Foundation must receive completed materials no later than May 28, 2010.  All required information must be included for the nominee to be considered for the award.

Required nomination materials          

• Application form, including the AMA Foundation student financial statement. The financial statement must be completed by the medical school financial-aid office.
• Three supporting letters:
  • Personal statement from the student outlining his or her career goals in the field of medicine—may not exceed one typed page with 10- to 12-point font
  • Signed letter of recommendation from the office of the dean or dean’s designate
  • Signed letter of recommendation from a faculty member at the medical school
• Medical school transcript

Submission Instructions and Deadline     

• We prefer applications submitted via email: Please get all the required signatures and scan documents into an attachment or attachments.  Send to scholarships@ama-assn.org 
• You may also fax your application: (312) 464-4142
• If you choose to mail the application materials, please use a courier service such as FedEx, UPS, or DHL, rather than USPS First Class, to better ensure a timely arrival. Mail to:  AMA Foundation, ATTN: Physicians of Tomorrow Scholarship, 515 N. State St., Chicago, IL 60654

All materials must be received at the AMA Foundation on or before May 28 at 5:00pm Central Standard Time.  Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

For more information, contact: amafoundation@ama-assn.org or call (312) 464-4200.

The AMA Foundation, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt foundation, is the philanthropic arm of the American Medical Association and is committed to improving the health of Americans through support of quality programs in public health and medical education. Find out more about the AMA Foundation.

View information about the Scholars Fund.

If you know a medical student who is from Southeast Alaska, he or she may be eligible for the AMA Foundation Arthur N. Wilson, MD Scholarship, a $5,000 award.

View general information about our scholarship programs.

You can also visit our Frequently Asked Questions.

If you have questions about AMA Foundation scholarships, please contact:

Dina Lindenberg
Program Officer
AMA Foundation
515 N. State Street
Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 464-4193
(312) 464-4142 fax
dina.lindenberg@ama-assn.org