The underrepresentation of minority students in the healthcare field has increased the availability of scholarships for minorities in healthcare. The provision of such scholarships will encourage minority ethnic students to pursue a career in the healthcare field and promote diversity in the field.
Historically, ethnic minorities are underrepresented in the healthcare field. According to statistics, 12.1% of Blacks and 18.2% of Hispanics are healthcare workers in the US, compared to the continually growing ethnic minority in the US, this is a very small figure and there is a need for more minorities to be part of the healthcare field.
Patients from medically underserved communities continually face barriers to accessing healthcare. Especially in rural areas, it can be challenging to find physicians who look like them, speak their language, understand their background and culture, and whom they feel they can trust with their medical care. Diversifying the medical workforce is one way to overcome these disparities in healthcare.
Through deliberate and careful effort, increasing minorities in healthcare will pave the way for healthcare diversity. By increasing diversity in healthcare, professionals can address the racial and ethnic healthcare disparities which echo across multiple dimensions of population health. Moral and ethical dilemmas also play into these disparities, resulting in misdiagnoses and poor management of chronic conditions.
Medical schools across the US aim to increase diversity and build programs that represent the population, but the high cost of medical education is a significant barrier for many students. Fortunately, there are scholarships for minorities in healthcare to provide financial aid to students from underrepresented groups in medicine. And the good thing is, you do not have to repay, unlike student loans.
Scholarships are not the only financial aid option for minorities in healthcare, there are also bursaries, grants, and awards in the form of cash prizes. As a minority in healthcare, this is not the only scholarship you are eligible to apply for, you can also apply for healthcare scholarships for high school seniors if you are just completing high school and intend to enroll in a healthcare college program or apply for the public health masters scholarship if you wish to pursue a career in public health.
Before we dive into the list of scholarships for minorities in healthcare, it would also be worth noting that there are other minority-related scholarships on our site that you will find useful. Such as first-gen scholarships for Hispanic students and scholarships for Black students at PWI. You can apply for these scholarships and direct the funding towards your medical school education or for any major.
Having said that, let’s get into the main topic.
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Scholarships for Minorities in Healthcare
Efforts to increase diversity in health professions for all Americans may increase the number of minority students interested in pursuing careers in health care. For minority students pursuing healthcare-related degree programs at the undergraduate and graduate level, financing may be a concern but with the scholarships curated here, that will no longer be a problem.
The following are scholarships for minorities in healthcare:
- NASP-ERT Minority Scholarship Program
- AMA Foundation Physicians of Tomorrow Scholarship Program
- The Hispanic Health Professional Student Scholarship
- Buckfire & Buckfire Medical Diversity Scholarship Program
- The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Undergraduate Scholarship Program (UGSP)
- National Medical Fellowships Scholarships and Awards
- LMSA National Scholarships
- William G. Anderson, DO, Minority Scholarship
- Sherry R. Arnstein Underrepresented Minority Scholarship
1. NASP-ERT Minority Scholarship Program
NASP-ERT Minority Scholarship Program was established in 1995 by the National Association of School Psychologists to offer financial support to minority students pursuing careers in psychology. This scholarship easily passes as one of the scholarships for minorities in healthcare as it seeks to increase the number of minorities in the medical field of psychology by breaking financial barriers that draw students back from achieving their dream.
The program awards $5,000 to each selected scholar and a mentorship program to develop them professionally. To be eligible for the award, you must be a minority student enrolled in a full-time or part-time psychology program approved by the NASP, be a US citizen or permanent resident, be a member of NASP, be in good academic standing, and have a minimum CGPA of 3.0.
2. AMA Foundation Physicians of Tomorrow Scholarship Program
Next on our list of scholarships for minorities in healthcare is the AMA Foundation Physicians of Tomorrow Scholarship Program. Read ahead to see how it works.
The American Medical Association (AMA) Foundation has been awarded scholarships to medical students since the 50s and continues to date with even more focus on underrepresented minorities in medicine. The Physicians of Tomorrow is a scholarship program launched by the AMA Foundation to distribute $10,000 to medical students approaching their final year.
There are 12 different scholarships within the program but there are a few that focuses on minority students, they are:
· AMA Foundation Underrepresented in Medicine Physicians of Tomorrow Scholarship
The above-named scholarship is awarded to a student who is African-American/Black, Hispanic/Latinx, or indigenous and is committed to serving underserved populations.
· Dr. Richard Allen Williams & Genital Evangelista Johnson/Association of Black Cardiologists Scholarship
This scholarship is reserved for only Black/African-American students who want to pursue a career in cardiology. The award is $5,000.
· David Jones Peck, MD Scholarship for Health Equity
This is also for minority students who demonstrate a commitment and address health disparities and promote health equity in marginalized and minoritized communities.
· DREAM MD Equity Scholarship
This scholarship is awarded to a medical student beneficiary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and/or a first-gen immigrant in the US who has demonstrated public advocacy for the equitable treatment of immigrants.
3. The Hispanic Health Professional Student Scholarship
The National Hispanic Health Foundation launched the Hispanic Health Professional Student Scholarship as a way of providing financial assistance to Hispanics in medical programs and also promoting diversity in the healthcare field. Recipients are selected based on excellent academic records, leadership abilities, and commitment to serving Hispanics.
The scholarship offers $5,000 annually for up to 4 years to the recipient as well as individual scholarship awards of $2,000 each. And aside from the financial awards, recipients also receive professional mentorship to help them with career growth.
4. Buckfire & Buckfire Medical Diversity Scholarship Program
The Buckfire & Buckfire Medical Diversity Scholarship Program is an annual scholarship program established in 2014 by the Buckfire Law Firm as part of its initiative to recognize medical school students who do outstanding work to promote ethnic diversity in their community. Applicants for this award can either be from a minority ethnic group or any individual who demonstrates a defined commitment to issues of diversity within their community.
Applicants must be US citizens and currently be enrolled in an accredited medical school within the US with an excellent academic record which should be reflected in their GPA. In addition to the eligibility criteria, applicants must submit an official medical school transcript, essay, and complete scholarship application form.
5. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Undergraduate Scholarship Program (UGSP)
If you are from a minority or underrepresented group with a commitment to pursue careers in social science health, biomedical science, and behavioral science-related research then you should consider applying for the NIH Undergraduate Scholarship Program to receive financial funding to support your education. Recipients may receive up to $20,000 per academic year for up to 4 years, it is renewable.
To be eligible, you must be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States, demonstrate financial need, earn a GPA of 3.3 or higher on a scale of 4.0, and be enrolled in a full-time program at an accredited university or college within the US. There is a payback requirement for recipients of the scholarship, follow the link below to see them.
6. National Medical Fellowships Scholarships and Awards
The National Medical Fellowships offers various scholarships to promote diversity within the medical field. Therefore, the scholarships are targeted to those from minority ethnic groups enrolled in any healthcare program in the US then you can be eligible to apply for the National Medical Fellowships Scholarships and Awards.
You must demonstrate leadership abilities and be committed to serving medically underserved communities to be eligible. Other requirements for the scholarship include a student aid report, an official letter of financial award offer, a current professional school transcript, and other personal documents. Application deadlines and procedures can be found in the link below.
7. LMSA National Scholarships
The Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA) launched a national scholarship to mitigate the cost of medical education for Latino students who want to pursue medical professions. It is one of the healthcare scholarships for minority students and covers expenses such as tuition, living expenses, standardized testing costs, and interviews.
The scholarship is awarded yearly and recipients are selected based on financial need, personal qualities, academic excellence, and extracurricular achievement. To be considered for the award, you must be a member of LMSA, enrolled in a DO or MD degree program, and be committed to advancing healthcare education in underserved communities. Application requirements include a CV, med school transcript, two essays, and an application.
8. William G. Anderson, DO, Minority Scholarship
Here is one of the scholarships for minorities in healthcare established by the American Osteopathic Foundation and offered annually. The scholarship value is $10,000 each offered to 7 students from minority ethnic communities who are also osteopathic medical students.
To be considered for the award, you must be in good academic standing at an accredited college or school of osteopathic medicine, demonstrate a leadership role in addressing the educational, societal, and health needs of minorities, demonstrate financial need, and have noteworthy accomplishments.
9. Sherry R. Arnstein Underrepresented Minority Scholarship
The Sherry R. Arnstein Underrepresented Minority Scholarship is one of the scholarships for minorities in healthcare established by the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM). The scholarship was established with the intent to strengthen the career pathway for physicians from historically disadvantaged backgrounds.
It is awarded to an underrepresented minority student attending one of AACOM’s member colleges of osteopathic medicine. The scholarship awards $5,000 each year to selected osteopathic medical students. You have to be in good academic standing to be considered.
This wraps up the list of scholarships for minorities in healthcare and I hope you had a satisfying read. Check the recommendations below to find more scholarship guides.
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