Student Resources & Opportunities
Dear Students,
Making decisions about schools and careers can be daunting but there are opportunities and resources available to students interested in the health professions. A range of scholarships and awards are available from schools, private organizations, businesses and (federal, state and local) government. We hope this website helps as you do your research to find resources. Please keep in mind that it is important to check each of the suggested links below to ensure that the information is updated and accurate. Funding programs are available to African American, Latino, Asian or Native American students as well as women and veterans. There are also opportunities available to students from all backgrounds willing to serve in medically underserved areas. Many medical schools and medical sub-specialty professional organizations offer grants and assistance to prospective students. There are also extensive loan forgiveness programs for medical and nursing students who are interested in working in medically underserved areas throughout the country. Our page was recently (February 2021) updated and while it is not exhaustive, we hope it will be a starting point for the all-important resource information you will need. There are always many paths to your success! Stay positive on your journey and please feel free to contact MSI AHEC with any questions.
General Resources: As you get started…..
Is a Career in Health Care Right for You?
Explore HealthCareers.org’s mission is to help solve two urgent problems in U.S. health care:
1. The under-representation of minorities in the workforce
2. The shortage of health professionals in medically underserved communities
The website provides comprehensive information to help build a stronger health care workforce by providing easy access to updated, peer-reviewed career descriptions that inspire and motivate students to find health careers that suit them. Their vision is to see the health professionals of tomorrow be highly skilled and motivated, and as diverse as the patients they serve.
Health Workforce Careers: What You Need to Know…
Health WorkForce New York (HWNY) a nonprofit health care workforce development organization that engages partners to address healthcare
workforce shortages in rural and underserved areas. It is an excellent website allowing you to explore health workforce careers and is especially designed for students. Comprehensive information on healthcare occupations includes state specific wages, worker attributes, job characteristics, trends and much more.
Medical Schools: About Training and Costs…
As you begin to think about your health professions career we encourage you to check out the Association of American Medical Colleges website by reading the profiles of more than 135 medical specialties and subspecialties in the United States. For each, you’ll find descriptions of the work the physicians do, salary, training requirements, match, salary and workforce information, and links to relevant organizations and publications.
National Health Service Corps
The National Health Service Corps, under the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration, builds health communities by supporting qualified health care providers dedicated to working in areas of the United States with limited access to care. Students pursuing primary care health professions training may be eligible to apply to the National Health Service Corps Scholarship and Loan Forgiveness programs based on service in medically underserved areas throughout the country. This website provides comprehensive information about eligibility for those programs as well as job opportunities in communities of need.
Scholarship America
A comprehensive one stop resource for information about local, state and national scholarships. See:
EDUMED
Features practical articles and links about range of health care education programs and scholarships. Here are two key links from that website we found that may be of assistance to you:
https://www.edumed.org/resources/minority-students-healthcare-education/
https://www.edumed.org/financial-aid/scholarships/
Student National Medical Association (SNMA)
SNMA is committed to supporting current and future underrepresented minority medical students, addressing the needs of underserved communities, and increasing the number of clinically excellent, culturally competent and socially conscious physicians. SNMA chapters based at allopathic and osteopathic medical schools throughout the nation, and some colleges, implement our programs and activities locally. SNMA programs are designed to serve the health needs of underserved communities and communities of color. To learn more visit:
City University of New York
Scholarships provide money that does not have to repaid and usually awarded on the basis of academic merit. There are more than 1,000 scholarships, awards, and special program opportunities offered throughout the City University of New York (CUNY) and its 24 colleges and schools. Some are designed to help students as they begin their college careers, others are awarded as they progress in their major — be it the arts, sciences, or the humanities. The CUNY website is an excellent resource with links to the State University of New York (SUNY) and other scholarship programs.
https://www.cuny.edu/financial-aid/scholarships/
http://www.cuny.edu/financial-aid/scholarships/corporate-community-group-scholarships/
New Visions for Public Schools
Good online resource to research, review and plan possible scholarship opportunities for college education.
NYS Higher Education Services Corporation
See this website for information about NYS scholarships and other resources.
https://www.hesc.ny.gov/pay-for-college/financial-aid/types-of-financial-aid.html#horizontalTab2
Point Foundation
The Point Foundation is the nation’s largest scholarship-granting organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) students of merit. Point promotes change through scholarship funding, mentorship, leadership development, and community service training.
Hispanic Scholarship Fund
The Hispanic Scholarship Fund is designed to assist students of Hispanic heritage obtain a university degree.
American Indian Graduate Center
The American Indian Graduate Center provides financial support for American Indians and Alaska Natives seeking higher education, and support them in attaining undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. They partner with Tribes, the federal government, foundations, corporations and individuals to ensure the growth and sustainability of scholarships.
The New York Academy of Medicine
Each year, The New York Academy of Medicine awards more than $400,000 in grants and fellowships to medical students.
https://www.nyam.org/fellows-grants/grants-awards/student-grants/
Association of American Medical Colleges
The Association of American Medical Colleges is a not-for-profit association dedicated to transforming health through medical education, health care, medical research, and community collaboration. Its website provides many resources which may be of interest in the pursuit of your medical career. See:
https://students-residents.aamc.org/financial-aid/article/repymt-asst/
The AAMC website also provides information about loan forgiveness programs for service in nonprofit, government or in medically underserved areas. You may also want to visit these websites directly for more information and details: United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and civil service programs such as the Indian Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the National Service Health Corps (NSHC).
Associated Medical Schools of New York
The Associated Medical Schools of New York (AMSNY) is a consortium of the 17 public and private medical schools in New York State. AMSNY connects the people, knowledge and resources of the State’s medical schools, and facilitates educational opportunities for medical students, residents, and faculty by coordinating an intensive statewide effort to increase equitable representation in the health professions. AMSNY also implements programs that support the educational development of high school and college students from underserved and underrepresented communities so they can succeed in medical school. Contingent upon state funding, the new application cycle will open May 2021.
https://amsny.org/initiatives/diversity-in-medicine/diversity-programs/other-pipeline-programs/
National Medical Fellowships
The National Medical Fellowships (NMF) Service-Learning Programs provide special opportunities for students to work hands-on to enhance healthcare delivery in underrepresented communities. These programs match students with mentors, often eminent NMF alumni, and focus on areas of critical clinical/public health need. *Click on a program name to learn each program’s eligibility and requirements.
Please CLICK HERE for information of new scholarships and due dates.
Higher Education Grants for African American Students
Higher Education Grants for African American Students helps to reduce debt after graduation, minorities including African Americans may be eligible for federal, state, and privately funded education grants to help them earn a college degree. There are several need and merit-based grants for post-secondary education available to African Americans, including those specific to women, men, or for students pursuing a specific field of study, such as engineering or science. Grant amounts typically range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars. As is the case for many grants, recipients may be required to reapply for funds annually and/or receive additional funds based on their academic progress. Students applying to African American grants for education must be African American. Federal education grants are typically awarded based on the applicant’s financial needs, as determined initially by the FAFSA. State and privately funded African American grants may have separate or additional requirements based on the applicant’s place of residence, level of academic achievement, or planned course of study.
CLICK HERE for more information and a list of available grants!
Stonewall Foundation
The Stonewall Foundation knows…”the power to help LGBTQ people overcome complex social and economic barriers. For nearly 15 years, we have partnered with donors to create scholarships that provide unique opportunities and access to education, both in New York City and throughout the country.” See this website for periodic opportunities:
NEW Leadership New York
NEW Leadership New York (NLNY), is a program of the Women’s Leadership Academy (WLA) at the Center for Women in Government & Civil Society (CWGCS). In partnership with the National Education for Women’s(NEW) Leadership Network, a bi-partisan program to educate college women about the political process and teach them to become effective leaders, NEW LeadershipTM New York is the first and only program of its kind in New York State. A week-long, residential undergraduate leadership development program for women, NLNY strives to instill the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary for effective political engagement and community organizing. The Center also sponsors the Women and Public Policy Fellowship.
For information about the New Leadership Program see:
https://www.albany.edu/womeningov/programs/nlny.shtml
For information about the Women and Public Policy Fellowship see:
New York State Nursing Education Scholarships, Grants & Loans
Grants, scholarships and other financial assistance are available to many students who enroll in nursing education programs at the associates degree, baccalaureate degree and graduate degree levels. Financial aid is available from a variety private foundations, colleges and universities with nursing education programs, New York State and from the United States government. Click here for more information:
http://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/nurse/nurse-educationscholarships-grants.htm#