Scholarships awarded to medical students, Rural Medical Scholars

November 29, 2016

[av_gallery ids=’16735,16736,16733,16734,16760,16761,16759,16767,16765,16766,16771,16763,16764,16772′ style=’thumbnails’ preview_size=’portfolio’ crop_big_preview_thumbnail=’avia-gallery-big-crop-thumb’ thumb_size=’portfolio’ columns=’5′ imagelink=’lightbox’ lazyload=’avia_lazyload’] [av_heading tag=’h3′ padding=’10’ heading=’Scholarships awarded to medical students, Rural Medical Scholars‘ color=” style=’blockquote modern-quote’ custom_font=” size=” subheading_active=” subheading_size=’15’ custom_class=”][/av_heading] [av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”] Scholarships were recently awarded to four medical students receiving their clinical education at The University of Alabama College of Community Health Sciences. Rural Medical Scholars also received awards. Jessica Powell, a fourth-year medical student, was awarded $5,000 as the 2016 recipient of Frank Fitts, Jr., Endowed Scholarship. The Frank Fitts, Jr., Endowed Scholarship was established by Cynthia Ford (Fitts) Thomas to address the needs of medical students who bear a high debt load upon graduation from medical school. The scholarship is named in honor of her late husband, Frank Fitts, Jr., great-grandson of J.H. Fitts, who established The University of Alabama’s first endowed scholarship in 1903. Chaniece Wallace, a fourth-year medical student, was awarded $1,000 as the recipient of the Dr. Sandral Hullett Endowed Scholarship. The Dr. Sandral Hullett Endowed Scholarship was established in 1992 with gifts from the Capstone Health Services Foundation and proceeds from the 1991 Fiesta Bowl to honor Dr. Sandral Hullett, one of the first African-American residents to graduate from The University of Alabama Family Medicine Residency, which is operated by the College. Danielle Fincher, a fourth-year medical student, was awarded $1,000 as the recipient of the Robert E. Pieroni, MD, and Family Endowed Scholarship. Established by Dr. Robert and Mrs. Dorothy Pieroni in 2012, the scholarship supports medical students at the College interested in entering primary care. Dr. Pieroni was a faculty member at the College for many years and still remains active in his support. Maria Gulas, a fourth-year medical student, was awarded $1,700 from the CCHS International Medical Experience Fund for her travel to Barahona, Dominican Republic. The International Medical Experience Fund exists to support international travel that facilitates the education of medical students at CCHS. It was established in 2011 by the College’s Board of Visitors through the Lister Hill Society Fund, the CCHS annual fund. Jayla Robinson, a first-year medical student, was awarded the Alfa Rural Medical Scholars Endowed Loan, a full-tuition loan given to an outstanding Rural Medical Scholar each year to further encourage practice in rural Alabama. The interest-free loan will be fully forgiven if the recipient practices medicine in a rural setting for at least five years after residency. The members of the 21st class of Rural Medical Scholars were each awarded $299 from the Houston and Voncile Pearce Endowed Scholarship fund, which was established in 2009 by the Pearces to support students enrolled in the Rural Medical Scholars program at the College. Additionally, the members of the class were each awarded $1,200 from the Dr. and Mrs. Earl Brandon Gift Fund, established to support Rural Medical Scholars. Brandon was a community pediatrician who taught medical students and residents for many years at CCHS. The 21st class of Rural Medical Scholars includes Veronica Coleman, Rebecca England, Andrew Seth Griffin, Colby James, Jessica Luker, Dustin Cole Marshall, Brionna McMeans, Johnny Pate, Madison Peoples and Madilyn Tomaso. [/av_textblock]