WMSF Scholarships

Scholarship Sponsored by Wisconsin Medical Society Foundation

Deadline

• All scholarship applications are due February 1.

How to apply (overview)

• Most of the scholarships below use the General Scholarship Application Form. To apply, use the General Scholarship application (click here).
• The General Scholarship application explains how recommendation letters should be formatted.
• If you don’t win a named award, you may still be considered for general scholarships — no extra action required.

Scholarships that use the General Scholarship Application

• Wisconsin Medical Society Presidential Scholar Award

  • Award: $5,000
  • Purpose: To recognize future medical leaders who plan to practice and lead in Wisconsin.
  • Eligibility: Medical students entering their final year next fall; active involvement with the Wisconsin Medical Society or a County Medical Society is required.
  • Required recommendation: One letter must come from a Wisconsin Medical Society member who has worked with you on the Society Board of Directors, a council or task force, or locally as a County Medical Society officer.
  • Personal statement: Highlight your activities and ties to Wisconsin.
  • Note: Applicants not chosen for this award will automatically be considered for general scholarships.

• Future Superhero of Medicine Scholarship for Underrepresented Minorities

  • Purpose: Established by Dr. Jasmine Zapata to support underrepresented minorities pursuing careers in health and medicine.
  • Eligibility: Students from underrepresented minority groups who are pursuing health/medical careers.
  • Background: Honors Dr. Zapata’s work improving maternal health and mentoring Black girls and women.

• Victor A. Baylon, MD, Memorial Scholarship

  • Award: Typically $1,000 or more.
  • Eligibility: Medical students, medical technologists, and clinical laboratory scientists; awards of $1,000+ are limited to residents of Racine or Milwaukee Counties.
  • Background: Created by Dr. Baylon’s family and colleagues as a tribute to the Racine pathologist.

• Edmund J. and Estelle D. Walker and General Medical Education Scholarships

  • Eligibility: Students attending medical school in Wisconsin who have completed or are completing at least one year of medical school.
  • Awards: Several available; amounts depend on the pool of qualified applicants.

• Goodman-Goodell Scholarship

  • Eligibility: Students in their second year of medical school in Wisconsin, from the Portage, WI area, with an interest in pulmonary medicine or general family practice.
  • Background: Funded by an estate gift from Maurice Goodman, Jr.

• Robert Jason Gore Scholarship

  • Purpose: In memory of Robert Jason Gore.
  • Eligibility: Students attending medical school in Wisconsin.
  • Personal statement: Provide examples of how you live the values of chivalry, honor, and loyalty, and how you will use those qualities in patient care.
  • Background: Established by Dr. Donald and Jackie Gore.

• Amy Hunter-Wilson, MD, Scholarship

  • Eligibility: American Indian students pursuing MD, nursing, or related health field training.
  • Award amounts: Vary; generally $1,000 or more.
  • Background: Established by Dr. Hunter-Wilson.

• Marathon County Medical Society Scholarship

  • Award: $3,000 (one award per year)
  • Eligibility: Medical student who graduated from high school in Marathon County and is entering one of their final two years of medical school in Wisconsin.

• John D. and Virginia Riesch Scholarship

  • Eligibility: Students pursuing careers as physicians or nurses.
    • Medical doctor applicants must attend UW School of Medicine and Public Health.
    • Nursing applicants must attend UW–Madison.
  • Personal statement: Emphasize empathy, recognition of colleagues, passion for learning, and desire to educate colleagues and patients.
  • Preference: Students who intend to practice in Wisconsin.
  • Awards: One medical student and one nursing student award available.

• Rukmini and Joyce Vasudevan Scholarship

  • Eligibility: Female students entering their third or fourth year of medical school in Wisconsin the coming fall.
  • Personal statement: Provide examples of compassion, courage, and perseverance in the face of adversity.
  • Background: Established by Dr. Sridhar Vasudevan in honor of his mother and wife.

• Jefferson County Medical Society Scholarship

  • Award: $3,000 (one award per year)
  • Eligibility: Medical student who graduated from high school in Jefferson County.

Application tips from a teacher’s perspective

• Read each scholarship’s specific eligibility and personal statement prompts carefully — some require targeted letters or particular themes in your statement.
• If a recommendation must come from a specific role (for example, a Wisconsin Medical Society member), ask that person early and provide them with the scholarship requirements and the recommended letter format.
• Tailor your personal statement for awards that request specific examples (leadership in Wisconsin, chivalry/honor/loyalty, compassion under adversity, etc.). Don’t reuse a generic essay without editing it to address the prompt directly.
• Keep copies of everything you submit and note any confirmation emails or submission receipts.

If you’d like, I can:

• Help you choose which scholarships to prioritize based on your background,
• Review or help edit your personal statement to match a particular award’s criteria,
• Draft a checklist or timeline to meet the February 1 deadline.