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Transforming Medicine Campaign
Scholarship generosity
By Barbra Alan
The second annual Celebrating Our Scholars dinner, held the evening of October 19, gave DMS scholarship students the satisfying opportunity to personally thank many of the donors whose generosity is helping to fund their medical education.
"It's nice to put a face with a name," explained Jamie Miller, a first-year medical student." When you receive your admissions letter telling you that you've received a scholarship, it's a mystery where that money is coming from. Tonight, I can express my gratitude to the people who have given me the opportunity to study at Dartmouth."
Dr. Mark Horwich, a DC '63 and DMS '65 who has been a longtime scholarship donor, spoke at the event. He also introduced three scholarship student speakers who shared their backgrounds and career aspirations: Eugene Hsu, a second-year M.D.-M.B.A. student; Rebecca Rotello, a third-year M.D.
student; and James McCarthy, a fourth-year M.D. student.
All three students expressed gratitude to the donors whose gifts have made their studies possible."I have been fortunate to receive substantial financial support to pursue my dream of becoming a doctor, and for that I am grateful," Rotello said. "Without your support, I wouldn't be here."
In closing remarks, Dr. Stephen Spielberg, DMS's dean and the evening's host, underscored the importance of scholarships. He pointed out that "85% of our students receive some sort of financial aid, and scholarships make up roughly 36% of that aid.That's very high for a medical school. Because of your generosity, our graduates are beginning their careers in medicine with a debt considerably less than the national average.
"Thank you for your support," he concluded, then added,"I'm already looking forward to next year's event!"
Raising the bar
The financial goal of the Transforming
Medicine Campaign for
Dartmouth Medical School and
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical
Center is to raise $250 million
by 2009. Even more far-reaching
is its goal of "raising the bar"
in medicine. Of questioning
assumptions—respecting tradition
but not following it blindly.
Of erasing boundaries—translating
science from the lab bench
to the bedside by connecting researchers
with clinicians. Of creating
solutions to the nation's
most critical health-care issues.
Of transforming medicine.
Creating scholarships
With the average U.S. medical
school debt well over $100,000,
there is a growing national consensus
that debt is affecting students'
decisions of which medical
schools to attend and even
which medical specialties to pursue.
As a result, fewer students
are choosing careers in research
or certain specialties, in favor of
clinical subspecialties that offer
greater income potential. Some
students are forfeiting their
dream of entering medicine altogether,
discouraged by the
massive financial burden.
Easing the debt load for bright, promising students has long been a priority at DMS and is one of the goals of the Transforming Medicine Campaign. Within the Campaign is a $10-million target for scholarships, to allow DMS to continue to attract qualified students regardless of their financial need.
Learning more
For more about the Transforming Medicine Campaign, visit http://transmed.dartmouth.edu
To see more images, visit the Celebrating our Scholars Photo Gallery.
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Barbra Alan is assistant director of development communications for the Medical School and Medical Center.
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