Philanthropy
The Foundation of the Pennsylvania Medical Society is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and the charitable affiliate of the Pennsylvania Medical Society. We exist to support the well-being of physicians, medical students, and the patients they serve — not through a single program or initiative, but through a sustained commitment to medical education, physician health, peer support, and clinical excellence across the Commonwealth.
Your charitable gift makes that work possible.
Since 1948:
$26.5M
Awarded in loans and scholarships
4,950
Medical students supported
77
Years of continuous support
Your Gift. Real Impact.
Philanthropic donations from individual physicians, community members, hospitals, and organizations are the foundation of everything we do. When you give to The Foundation, you are investing in programs that address some of the most pressing challenges in medicine today — from the financial burden facing medical students to the health and recovery needs of physicians to the safety of patients across Pennsylvania.
Here is where your support goes to work:
Medical Education and Student Financial Services
The Foundation's Student Financial Services program provides low-interest loans and scholarships to medical students who represent the future of health care in Pennsylvania. These awards help reduce the financial barriers that prevent talented, committed individuals from completing their medical education.
In 2025:
$800,000
In loans to 74 students
$169,354
In 35 scholarships to 30 students
+$20,000
Scholarship growth over 2024
Physician Health and Peer Support
Through the Pennsylvania Physicians' Health Program (PA PHP) and the broader Pennsylvania Peer Assistance Monitoring Program (PA PAMP), The Foundation supports physicians and other health care professionals facing substance use disorders, mental health challenges, and behavioral concerns. These programs are built on dignity and confidentiality — ensuring that health care professionals who seek help can do so without fear of stigma or professional penalty.
Donor contributions support three key funds within this program:
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PA PHP Endowment: A permanently established endowment ensuring the PHP has long-term, stable funding held in perpetuity.
-
PA PHP Assistance Fund: Provides financial assistance for participants who demonstrate a financial need for case initiation, evaluation, and treatment costs.
-
NHP Assistance Fund: Offers similar financial assistance for participants in the NHP program.
In 2025:
332
PHP cases monitored monthly
786
NHP cases monitored monthly
1,084
Referrals received
Clinical Competency and Patient Safety
The Foundation's nationally recognized LifeGuard® program delivers unbiased clinical competency assessments and individualized educational remediation plans for physicians whose clinical skills have been called into question. LifeGuard serves medical boards, hospitals, health systems, and health care attorneys across the country—providing a fair, structured pathway for evaluation and, when appropriate, a return to practice.
Philanthropic support sustains LifeGuard's ability to provide thorough, individualized assessments regardless of a physician's financial circumstances.
In 2025:
62
Participants
enrolled
89%
Proposal acceptance rate
The Donors Behind the Work
The physicians and community members who support The Foundation do so for deeply personal reasons — honoring a mentor, carrying on a family tradition of giving, or creating a legacy that extends well beyond their own careers.
Among our legacy donors, Dr. Raymond C. Truex Jr. put it simply: “My goal is to make a difference for a qualified person who does not have the financial resources to attend medical school.” Dr. Edward C. Fischer established an unrestricted legacy bequest, enabling The Foundation to respond nimbly to areas of greatest need. Dr. Jeanne A. Cooper remembered The Foundation in her will, making it possible to create a new educational scholarship.
These are not abstract gifts. They are decisions made by real people — physicians, families, and community members — who believe in the future of medicine in Pennsylvania.
Ways to Give
The Foundation accepts a wide range of gift types to accommodate donors at every stage of life and financial planning. Whether you are making your first annual gift or thinking about your long-term legacy, there is an option that fits.
Annual Gifts
Gifts can be made by check, credit card, or QR code. Annual giving provides a reliable stream of support for The Foundation's programs throughout the year.
Sustainers’ Circle
The Sustainers’ Circle is a group of donors who provide ongoing support through regularly scheduled monthly contributions, a simple, flexible way to make a meaningful difference throughout the year.
Honorarium and Memorial Gifts
Honor a colleague, friend, or family member whose impact deserves recognition, or create a lasting remembrance for someone who contributed to the medical community.
Planned Giving
Planned gifts — including bequests, IRA charitable rollovers (QCDs), gifts of stock and securities, retirement assets, life insurance, real estate, and donor-advised funds — allow donors to make a significant impact while potentially receiving meaningful tax advantages.
A bequest, for example, is one of the most flexible planned gifts available: no other planned gift is as simple to make or as easy to change, should you ever need the assets during your lifetime.
Stocks, Bonds, and Appreciated Assets
Giving appreciated stock held for more than one year is one of the most tax-advantaged ways to support The Foundation, allowing donors to potentially reduce capital gains tax while making a meaningful charitable contribution.
Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs)
A Donor-Advised Fund can provide immediate tax benefits while simplifying your charitable giving for years to come. Donors can recommend a grant to The Foundation now or establish a succession plan for future giving.
Legal Name: The Foundation of the Pennsylvania Medical Society
Address: 400 Winding Creek Blvd., Mechanicsburg, PA 17050-1885
Federal Tax ID Number: 37-1732501
Ready to Make a Difference?
Your support, at any level, helps sustain programs that matter to physicians, medical students, and the patients they serve across Pennsylvania. The Foundation is recognized by the Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations (PANO) for our commitment to nonprofit excellence, and all contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.
To speak with someone about your gift, contact our Manager of Philanthropy and Hospital Relations,
Lori Storm, at (717) 558-7813 or lstorm@pamedsoc.org.