Scholarships for Medical School Students in 2024

About medical school scholarships

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, doctors and physicians have become even more crucial. With the need for more healthcare professionals in every hospital across America and around the world, it is crucial that medical students are not deterred from completing their degree or entering the field.

Because of the rise in prices and the competitiveness involved with medical school, it can be easy for students to get discouraged. Because of the rise in applicants, medical school has become even more competitive in the past few years.

In 2010, 43.6% of medical school applicants matriculated. Ten years later in 2020, 40.9% of applicants matriculated. After the pandemic in 2020, more than two dozen schools reported a 25 percent increase in applicants. This makes it incredibly difficult for medical schools to effectively choose who they should include in their programs.

Because of this, many students apply multiple times. In the last 4 years, from 2017 to 2020, between 36% and 38% of applicants were repeat applicants.

In addition to being competitive, medical school is also costly. Since 2013, the cost of medical school education has risen by almost $1,500 every year. Currently, the average yearly cost of medical school is $54,698, although this price can change depending on whether you go to a public or private college. Per year, the average cost of a public medical school is $49,842 while private medical schools average about $59,555.

Many medical school students end up taking out student loans in order to pay for their medical education. Among U.S. medical school graduates in the class of 2020 who borrowed money, the median debt burden was $207,003. Because medical school is so expensive and competitive, it is important that students entering med school get the support they need, especially students who are women, people of color, or LGBTQ+.

In 2020, women made up 52.4% of the entering classes to medical school. Though these are high numbers, there are still significant concerns for women in medicine. Almost 40% of women physicians scale back their medical practice or leave the profession altogether while they are still early in their careers. Most of the time, family and children can prevent women from getting their medical degrees or staying in the profession.

For LGBTQ+ students, medical school can be difficult as well. In 2018, the American Medical Association discovered that of the 15,000 doctors and students who have volunteered information about their gender and sexuality, around 4% identify as LGBTQ. Representation is extremely important in the medical field because 1 in 5 LGBTQ+ adults have avoided medical care due to fear of discrimination.

People of color also face discrimination in the medical field. In the first six months of 2020, Black and Hispanic people made up 58% of all patients hospitalized for COVID-19 and 53% of those who died from the disease.

One reason for this is a lack of representation. In 2012, Black and Hispanic people made up more than 30 percent of the U.S. population, but only 14 percent of medical school graduates and less than 10 percent of practicing physicians.

By entering the medical field or becoming faculty in medical school, people of color can alter the way that medically underserved communities receive support. In 2016, a study found that 73% of white medical students held at least one false belief about the biological differences between races.

In another study, 17.7% of graduating medical students reported that faculty showed a lack of respect for diversity. Representation within the medical field and within medical teaching staff is crucial, so it is important that racial and ethnic minorities are able to pursue a medical education with the financial aid and support that they need.

Through scholarships, many medical students can pay for a portion of their tuition, taking away some of the financial burdens of the additional years of education. While financial aid and university scholarships can pay for some of the costs, you can also find some outside scholarships that can help with medical school tuition and student loans.

How to get scholarships for medical school

Bold.org has hundreds of open scholarships for students pursuing their medical education, including plenty of opportunities for medical students.

Browse through available scholarships for medical students

To find medical school scholarships, filter the list on Bold.org by education level in order to reduce the list to only scholarships open to graduate students. To find scholarships specifically for medical students or prospective medical students, you can also go to the "healthcare" category when browsing scholarships.

Check eligibility requirements

When applying for medical school scholarships, always read through the descriptions and eligibility requirements to determine which scholarships you're qualified for so that you don't waste time and effort.

Some scholarships may require students to be from a certain state. Additionally, some scholarships may be for specific demographics and identities while other international scholarships seek out applicants who display academic merit or financial need.

Most scholarships are exclusively open to current students who are pursuing a medical degree and need help with tuition costs. However, some scholarships are also available to graduates who have student debt, such as undergraduate loans.

Begin the application process

Once you've found a scholarship that suits you, you can start applying. When applying for medical school scholarships on Bold.org, you must first create your free Bold.org profile. Once your profile is complete, you can begin to apply for scholarships.

Some scholarships only require applicants to have a complete profile, but many require an additional essay or submission in order to apply. Although scholarships with essays take a bit more time, writing a good essay can help an applicant win.

Here at Bold.org you can apply to exclusive scholarships just for you. Sign up here and apply to your first scholarship right now.

Put time and effort into your essay

If you are a strong writer or have a unique story, an essay can be a great way to make your application stand out. Once you have completed your profile and/or written your essay, applying for scholarships only requires a few clicks.

To make the most of your essay, be sure to stick to the prompt, include detail and personality, and include a powerful opening and conclusion. Always be sure to proofread written work before submitting your application!

Stay positive!

Finally, don't get discouraged if you don't win every scholarship you apply for. Many students are looking for financial aid to fund their higher education, so it's unlikely that you'll win every scholarship you apply for.

Boost your chances by finding niche scholarships

You can use the filter features available on Bold.org to find scholarships specific to your identity, goals, experiences, or fields of interests. The more eligibility requirements a scholarship has, the fewer eligible applicants there will be.

By finding scholarships for your specific demographic or scholarships that cater to your talents, such as athleticism or specific academic achievement, you can increase your chances of winning scholarship money.