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.