National Medical Fellowships

National Medical Fellowships, Inc.
Motto	Changing the Face of Medicine
Founded	1946
Founder	Franklin McLean MD, PHD
Type	Nonprofit
Location	New York
Area served	USA
Services	Scholarships, Service Learning Programs
Key people	Dr. Esther R. Dyer, President & CEO
Mission	NMF's mission is to provide scholarships for underrepresented minorities in medicine. Our primary goal is to achieve equity of opportunity in medicine and equity of access to quality healthcare for all groups in American society by increasing the number of minority physicians and changing the face of medicine to better reflect and serve our diverse nation.
Website	nmfonline.org

National Medical Fellowships, Inc. (NMF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing the pipeline of doctors, nurses and physician assistants who have the professional knowledge, cultural competency and commitment to provide quality healthcare for all members of our diverse society.^[1]

This goal is reached by providing scholarships and awards to underrepresented minority medical students, and offering service learning programs to students and health professionals.

Since its inception in 1946, National Medical Fellowships has provided over $40 million to upward of 30,000 minority community members.

History

National Medical Fellowships was started by Dr. Franklin C. McLean MD, PhD, who was a professor of physiology at the University of Chicago.^[2] Dr. McLean saw that the lack of opportunities for African-American physicians was a problem for our nation, and that we needed more minority physicians to achieve basic equality of opportunity, and to ensure access to quality healthcare for millions of poor and minority Americans. This was true in 1946, and it is true today.

Long before “diversity” was a national value, NMF began giving scholarships to African American physicians and medical students who otherwise could not have afforded a medical education. As broad social changes swept America, NMF expanded its commitment, giving grants on a national basis to other groups underrepresented in medicine.

Through its scholarship programs, NMF has been instrumental in increasing the number of underrepresented minority physicians and researchers in the US. In recent years, NMF has expanded its efforts, with fellowship programs that help medical students address health disparities in underserved communities, in the US and globally. NMF was credited by New York Times in decreasing of discrimination and rise of medical enrollments by minorities in 1962.^[3]

Scholarships

Aetna Foundation/NMF Healthcare Leadership Program:^[4] helps address the severe national shortage of physicians who are committed to the health of underserved communities. This program provides scholarships to 10 2nd and 3rd year minority medical students committed to serving underserved communities, and have demonstrated leadership early in their careers. Target cities are Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York City.

Anarcha, Betsy and Lucy Memorial Scholarship Award:^[5] established by NMF Alumna Yvonne S. Thornton, MD, MPH, FACOG, is given in honor of three slaves who, as subjects of experimentation, influenced advances in current surgical knowledge and skills and are recognized today as the Mothers of Gynecology. This award is given to a female African American medical student who is a known descendant of American slaves.

Aura E. Severinghaus Award:^[6] honors the memory of the NMF Board member and associate dean emeritus of Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons. This award is presented annually to a 4th year minority student attending that medical school.

Emergency Scholarship Fund:^[7] supports medical students facing unexpected financial hardships that threaten their graduation and their careers as physician-leaders.

Gerber Scholarship in Pediatrics Program:^[8] supports two outstanding medical students with an interest in pediatrics with an emphasis in nutrition.

Hugh J. Andersen Scholarship Program:^[9] honors a longtime NMF contributor in Minneapolis/St. Paul, and is awarded annually to two 2nd and 3rd year students in Minnesota medical schools in recognition of leadership and community service.

Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation Scholarship Program:^[10] supports 2nd and 3rd year underrepresented minorities early in their medical careers

Manhattan Central Medical Society Scholarship:^[11] established by the Manhattan Central Medical Society, this award is given to an African-American medical student enrolled in the greater New York area.

Mary Ball Carrera Scholarship:^[12] established by NMF Board member Neal Ball to honor the memory of his sister Mary Ball Carrera, is presented to an outstanding Native American woman, recognized for outstanding academic achievement, leadership, and community service, and enrolled in an accredited US medical school.

New York Community Trust/NMF Medical Research Scholarship Program:^[13] provides two community health research scholarships to talented underrepresented minority medical students in New York to nurture future physicians who will engage in critical research in healthcare delivery in underserved communities.

Wayne Anthony Butts Scholarship Award:^[14] established by distinguished NMF Alumnus Dr. Gary C. Butts to honor the memory of his late brother, is presented during the New York Gala to a 1st or 2nd year minority medical student studying in the New York metro area, in recognition of outstanding academic achievement, leadership, community service, and interest in urban health issues.

Service-Learning Programs

Besides providing scholarships and awards, National Medical Fellowships, Inc. and its partners sponsor multiple learning service programs for medical students and health professionals:

Aetna/NMF Primary Care Fellows Program:^[15] provides to 10 underrepresented minority medical students a mentored service-learning program of proactive community service, encouraging the use of health information technology, health policy review, and leadership training in a variety of healthcare-related settings in Metropolitan DC. The focus of this program will be to strengthen capacity in future physicians by enhancing knowledge and understanding of issues of health policy and primary care access. This program is open to 2nd, 3rd, and 4th year underrepresented minority medical students.

California Community Service-Learning Program:^[16] awarded to 14 qualified California medical students who demonstrate leadership and commitment to medically underserved communities in California, provides the opportunity to conduct a self-directed community health project under the direction of a site mentor.

Dr. David Monash/John Caldwell Scott Medical Student Scholarship Program:^[17] launched with support from The Chicago Community Trust, was conceived in response to a Chicago initiative—the “2040 Project”—which predicts that Chicago will lack an adequate workforce to satisfy the population’s healthcare needs by 2040. The Chicago-based program provides six service scholarships to 2nd and 3rd year minority medical students enrolled in Chicago medical schools, and four residency scholarships to help reduce loan debt to medical school graduates who have matched as clinical residents in the Chicago area.

GE-NMF Global Health Fellows Program:^[18] as a first step towards global health, brings minority students to Ghana and Kenya for experiences in underserved communities that will inform their careers as physician leaders in the US and abroad. The program is available to 4th year minority medical students enrolled in accredited US medical schools

GE-NMF Primary Care Leadership Program^[19] in partnership with GE Foundation, provides future healthcare professionals with an opportunity to experience the challenges and rewards of primary care practice in community health centers across the US. This program is open to medical students, nursing, and physician assistant students who are poised to become leaders in primary care. Please see www.nmfonline.org/pclp for details.

GE-NMF PCLP Capstone Scholarship Program:^[20] offers a unique opportunity to gain professional research-related experience and leadership training in a community healthcare setting. PCLP Capstone Scholars each conduct a research-based project at a PCLP Site Partner community health center under the supervision of a healthcare professional.

United Health Foundation/NMF Diverse Medical Scholars Program:^[21] awards 22 qualified underrepresented minority medical students who exhibit leadership and community commitment to conduct a self-directed community health project in a medically underserved community. Targeted locations are Greater New York, Metropolitan Atlanta, Louisiana and Florida (Orlando and Greater Miami).

References

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