Physicians
of Tomorrow
Scholarship
The Physicians of Tomorrow program is one of the AMA Foundation’s flagship initiatives, designed to support and elevate the next generation of physician leaders. By providing substantial tuition assistance and national recognition, the program invests in medical students who demonstrate leadership, academic excellence, and a commitment to improving care and outcomes for patients and communities. Through this work, the Foundation helps shape a stronger future for the medical profession and the people it serves.
"This scholarship allows me to focus on what matters most during this critical stage of my training, growing as a future physician and continuing my commitment to making a meaningful difference in the lives of my patients and community."
Jericho Ghanem, 2026 Physicians of Tomorrow Scholarship recipient
More about
Physicians of Tomorrow
Each year, the program awards $10,000 tuition assistance scholarships to exceptional medical students entering their final year of training. With more than 15 scholarship categories, including those dedicated to students underrepresented in medicine and those pursuing specific areas of interest or leadership, the program recognizes academic achievement, personal resilience, and a deep commitment to service. Since its inception, the AMA Foundation has awarded over $61 million in medical student scholarships, reducing financial burdens, honoring future leaders, and helping to ensure that the path to becoming a physician is more accessible.
Physicians of Tomorrow Scholarships
-
Requirements:
Applicants must be entering their third or final year of medical school.
Applicants must be enrolled in a US accredited allopathic or osteopathic medical school program.
If you have additional questions, please email Senior Program Manager Allison Wesel (she/her) at allison.wesel@ama-assn.org.
General scholarships are made possible in part by:
The Barney & Kelda Maynard Fund
The Dr. and Mrs. J. James & Charli Rohack Fund
The Oklahoma Honor Fund
-
Requirements:
Applicants must have an interest in and commitment to women’s and/or children’s health issues.
Selection is based on volunteer activities and/or research initiatives.
Made possible by:
The generous donors to the AMA Alliance Grassroots Honor Fund
-
Requirements:
Applicants must demonstrate a commitment to addressing health disparities and promoting optimal health outcomes in underserved communities.
Made possible by:
The Vandenberg Fund for Optimal Health Outcomes
-
Requirements:
Applicants must be a resident of New Jersey and be attending medical school in New Jersey.
Made possible by:
The Medical Society of New Jersey
-
Requirements:
Applicants must be enrolled at an accredited California-based Medical School with an interest in one or more of the following:
Advocacy
Pursuing a career in anesthesiology, critical care or surgery
Pursuing a rural practice career
Made possible by:
The H. Hugh Vincent, MD Family Fund
-
Requirements:
Applicants must demonstrate a strong commitment to medicine, humanitarian public service and compassionate patient care.
Made possible by:
Susan D. Diskin, PhD
-
Requirements:
Applicants must be a permanent residents of Illinois who are involved in organized medicine and have expressed plans of practicing in Illinois after completing residency.
Made possible by:
The generous donors to the Illinois Honor Fund
-
Requirements:
Applicants must currently attend medical school in the State of Oklahoma.
Made possible by:
The Estate of Mary Frances Alexander in memory of her parents
-
Requirements:
Applicants must be a resident of Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota or Wisconsin.
Applicants must demonstrate tenacity and/or come from humble beginnings.
Preference will be given to applicants who intend to practice in one of the above states and/or practice in a rural community.
Made possible by:
The North Central Medical Conference/Ken Viste, MD, Honor Fund
-
Requirements
Recipients must demonstrate an interest in leadership in public health and advocacy. *This should be addressed in the personal statement.
Strong preference for students from the state of California.
Made possible by the generous donors to the Dr. Lawrence Cheung Memorial Fund.
-
Requirements:
Participation in, or creation of, a program in bioethics in medicine.
Semiprofessional or professional participation in the humanities: art, music, theater, literature, dance
Opportunity to do a program/presentation for VIP level donors
Made possible by:
The Lazarus Family Fund
-
Requirements:
Applicants must currently attend a medical school in the State of New York.
Applicants must be actively involved in organized medicine.
Applicants must have expressed plans to practice in the State of New York.
Made possible by:
The generous donors to the MSSNY/Dr. Duane and Joyce Cady Honor Fund
-
Requirements:
Applicants must attend medical school in the State of Ohio.
Applicants must be actively involved in organized medicine.
Made possible by:
The generous donors to the Ohio Honor Fund
-
Requirements:
Preference given to applicants pursuing a career in private practice.
Preference given to students who are enrolled members of, or otherwise affiliated with, a federally recognized American Indian or Alaska Native (AI/AN) Tribe or group.
Made possible by:
The Dr. Patricia Austin Family Fund
-
Requirements:
To be considered for the sleep medicine scholarship, applicants must demonstrate an interest in pursuing sleep medicine as a sub-specialty in internal medicine, psychiatry, pediatrics, neurology, etc., as part of their application process and personal statement.
Made possible by:
-
Students who come from economically disadvantaged and vulnerable communities and/or demonstrate a dedication to serving vulnerable or underserved populations.
-
Requirements:
Preference given to students focused on primary care, rural health, pharmacy, behavioral health, and maternal health careers.
Made possible by:
The United Health Foundation (Link to website: https://www.unitedhealthgroup.com/uhg/people-and-culture/our-foundations.html)
Scholarship FAQs
-
Applications must be submitted through the OpenWater application portal. If you are not eligible, the system will prevent you from proceeding.
-
Great news! We have expanded our scholarship program in 2027 and will be accepting applications from students who will be in their third OR final year of medical school during the 2027-28 academic year.
-
Applications for the 2027 Physicians of Tomorrow scholarships will close on Tuesday, January 19. Please refer to the “Applications” tab on our website for more information about the timeline for this program.
-
No. All applications and supporting documents must be submitted through our online portal. Submissions via other methods will not be accepted.
-
Upon submission, you will see a confirmation screen and receive a confirmation email. If there is a portion of your application that has not been completed you will receive an error message and be unable to finalize your application. Please confirm with all other parties (financial aid office, Registrar, and letter recommenders) that they have completed their sections of the application prior to clicking “Save and Finalize.”
-
Unfortunately, we do not provide individual feedback or share scores/comments from our volunteer reviewers.
-
Applications are reviewed by a panel of volunteer reviewers, including physicians, donors, and former recipients.
-
Yes. If you apply for a scholarship prior to your third year of medical school and are not awarded a scholarship, you may complete a new application for the cycle prior to your final year of medical school.
-
No. Students are only eligible to receive one scholarship during the duration of their medical school training from the AMA Foundation. If you are awarded a scholarship during your third year of medical school, you will not be able to apply prior to your final year of training.
Physicians
of Tomorrow
Recipients
“Your contribution brings me closer to achieving my goal of advancing rural health and access to care”
Bethany Brumbaugh, Physicians of Tomorrow Scholarship recipient
