Medical School Scholarships for Pennsylvania Students: What's Available and How to Apply

Sep 8

4 min read

The Foundation of the Pennsylvania Medical Society awards medical school scholarships every year to students who demonstrate financial need, academic merit, community commitment, or ties to a specific county. Sixteen awards are open in the current scholarship cycle. They're funded by the Pennsylvania Medical Society and its Alliance, county medical societies and alliances, individual physician donors, and community partners.

Here's what you need to know before you apply.

The Application Window is Firm: July 1 Through September 30

Applications open July 1 each year and close September 30. Award notifications go out in November. Funds are disbursed directly to your medical school in December, so the money reduces what you owe rather than passing through your hands.

Applications are not accepted outside that window. There is no late submission process.

Three Eligibility Questions Apply to Almost Every Award

Before you look at individual scholarships, check yourself against the baseline requirements.

Are you enrolled full-time at an accredited medical school? Every scholarship requires full-time enrollment. Some are open to allopathic (MD) students, some to osteopathic (DO) students, and some to both. Most require a Pennsylvania medical school, though a few accept any accredited U.S. medical school.
Have you been a Pennsylvania resident for at least 12 months? The clock starts before you registered as a medical student, and time spent attending an undergraduate or graduate school does not count toward it. Several awards narrow this further to a specific county.
What year are you in? Year-in-program eligibility varies by award. There are opportunities for first-year through fourth-year students, but almost none are open to all four years at once. Check the individual scholarship page for more information.

The Awards Fall Into Four Groups

County residency. The largest group. These are funded by county medical societies and alliances and go to students who live in that county. Current awards cover: Allegheny (ACMS), Blair (BCMS), Bucks (Donald E. Parlee, MD, Memorial), Lehigh (LeCoMASE), Lycoming (LCMS), Montgomery (William W. Lander, MD), and Berks, Lehigh, or Northampton (Myrtle Siegfried, MD, and Michael Vigilante, MD).

Two cover multiple counties. The SUN Scholarship gives preference to residents of Snyder, Union, or Northumberland County. The Lina & Jitendra Shah Scholarship covers Philadelphia County plus Bristol Borough, Bristol Township, and Bensalem Township in Lower Bucks County.

Specific medical school. If you attend Penn State College of Medicine, look at the Dr. Satish and Rupal Shah Family Scholarship and the Scott A. Gunder, MD, DCMS Presidential Scholarship, which is limited to second-year students at the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center campus. Students at Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University should look at the Truex Family Scholarship.

Financial need and service to underserved communities. The Foundation Education Award and the Saryu and Jitu Desai Foundation Scholarship both go to students who demonstrate economic hardship along with a commitment to medically underserved communities through volunteer service, leadership, or advocacy. The Truex Family Scholarship combines financial need with community service work.

Academic standing and specialty. The Trudell Medical Excellence Scholarship is the narrowest award on the list. It goes to a fourth-year student in the top 10% of their class who intends to practice cardiac surgery, otolaryngology surgery, or pediatric oncology.

The Alliance Medical Education Scholarship (AMES) sits outside these groups. It's open to second- and third-year Pennsylvania residents at any Pennsylvania medical school, which makes it one of the broadest awards available.

Four Things That Improve Your Application

Apply to everything you qualify for. Most students qualify for more than one award. A county scholarship, a school-specific scholarship, and a need-based scholarship can all apply to the same student at the same time.
Read the eligibility line before you write anything. The most common reason an application goes nowhere is a year-in-program or residency mismatch that was visible on the scholarship page from the start.
Start in July, not September. Documentation takes longer to gather than students expect, and the deadline does not move.
Ask before you guess. If you're not sure whether your residency history or enrollment status qualifies, email the Foundation instead of assuming you're out.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I apply for more than one scholarship?

Yes, students may apply for more than one scholarship! Students must fill out an individual application for each award.

When will I hear back?

Award notifications are sent in November. Funds are disbursed to your medical school in December.

How much are the awards worth?

Amounts vary by scholarship and are listed on each individual scholarship page under "Scholarship Award," along with the academic year the amount applies to. The range is wide. Open the page for each scholarship you qualify for on the scholarships page to see its current amount.

Do I have to attend medical school in Pennsylvania?

Usually. Most scholarships require enrollment at a Pennsylvania medical school. A few accept any accredited U.S. medical school. Check the individual scholarship page.

Does my undergraduate time in Pennsylvania count toward the residency requirement?

No. Time spent attending an undergraduate or graduate school does not count toward the 12-month residency requirement.

What documents do I need?

Required materials vary by scholarship, so there is no single checklist. Every scholarship page has a guidelines link that spells out exactly what that award requires. Download it before you start.

Depending on the scholarship, you may be asked for letters of reference, a letter from your medical school confirming enrollment or standing, or a written essay. Some awards also require documentation supporting financial need or your county residency.

Start Your Application

Review the full list on the scholarships page and open the individual pages for every award you might qualify for.

For questions about eligibility or the application process, contact Susan Caputo, Manager of Finance, Compliance & Scholarships, at (717) 558-7815 or studentservices-foundation@pamedsoc.org.

To establish a new scholarship or contribute to an existing one, contact Lori Storm, Manager of Philanthropy & Hospital Relations, at (717) 558-7813 or foundation@pamedsoc.org.