AMA Foundation Presents $10,000 Scholarships to Promising Medical Students

CHICAGO, Aug. 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Medical Association (AMA) Foundation awarded Physicians of Tomorrow Scholarships to twenty rising fourth-year medical students. Recipients 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

Supporting an individual attending an Oklahoma medical school

Sean Summers, University of Oklahoma College of Medicine

Johnson F. Hammond, MD Scholarships

Supporting medical journalism

Brittany Bettendorf, Medical College of Wisconsin

Lauren Browne, Duke University School of Medicine

Audio-Digest Foundation Scholarships

Supporting 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

"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. We are proud to play a role in supporting the future generation of physicians."

As the philanthropic arm of the American Medical Association, the AMA Foundation has made it a priority to assist medical students in handling the rising cost of medical education. 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 U.S. 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.

The AMA Foundation, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt foundation, is committed to improving the health of Americans through philanthropic support of quality programs in public health and medical education. Visit www.amafoundation.org to learn more.

SOURCE American Medical Association Foundation