$25 million gift expands medical scholarships for Indigenous and rural communities
New scholarship program at the University of Washington School of Medicine aims to increase the number of physicians serving Indigenous and rural communities across the five-state WWAMI region
A $25 million donation from William and Carolyn Franke and their family will create the Franke Medical Student Scholars Program at the University of Washington School of Medicine, according to ICT and Underscore Native News. The scholarship will help address physician shortages across Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho. The program will provide scholarships for students who demonstrate financial need and a commitment to practicing medicine in Indigenous and rural communities.
Most of the donation — $20 million — will cover half of tuition for about 30 students, while additional funding will support recruitment, retention and rural medical education programs. UW School of Medicine student Ty Running Fisher, a citizen of the Blackfeet Nation and a descendant of the Quinault Indian Nation, said the scholarship will help encourage more physicians to serve communities facing long wait times and persistent healthcare shortages.
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