Ed and Melissa Loniewski Medically Underserved Scholarship
Due to the great generosity of Ed Loniewski, DO and his wife, Melissa, it is possible for students to receive up to $1000 to cover transportation, room, board and essential expenses while doing an elective rotation in a medically underserved location. Rotation sites are selected by the student and approved by the Office of Clinical Education. The completion of this rotation must be during the student's 3rd or 4th year of study only and in the academic year of the initial application.
A student who wishes to apply must complete and submit an application form, verification form and curriculum vitae to National SOMA (Student Osteopathic Medical Association).
Recipients will be selected at the discretion of the Public Health Director, and approved by the Board of Trustees of National SOMA. Any questions should be brought to the Public Health Director at publichealth@studentdo.com. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis for the current academic year. Scholarships will be awarded to the extent that funding permits.
Note: All paperwork with regard to reimbursement of the scholarship award is due within 30 days of completion of the medical rotation and is to be sent to:
National SOMA
Program for the Medically Underserved
142 East Ontario Street
Chicago, IL 60611
Reimbursement is only for personal expenses applicable toward the rotation (i.e. rent, airfare, etc.) and not expenses of family members.
Requirements for consideration:
• Membership in SOMA.
• Completing the 3rd or 4th year of training.
• Demonstrate, through extracurricular activities and/or community service, an interest in practicing medicine in an underserved area.
• Verification Form, signed and stamped by the school registrar, or similar, affirming that the rotation is an elective.
• The externship must be completed in an underserved area, whether in the United States or abroad. Students may be able to find U.S. sites at the following website: http://ask.hrsa.gov/pc/.
• The externship must be four weeks in length, can be completed with a D.O. or M.D. and can be in any area of medicine, including primary health care as well as specialties and subspecialties.
• Once chosen for the scholarship, the training site may not be changed without verbal and/or written consent of the PMU Director.
• The externship may not be used to fulfill criteria for any other scholarship or stipend.
Upon completion of the qualifying rotation, the recipient must complete the following:
• An essay of 500 words or less describing the student's experiences during the rotation, which may appear on National SOMA's website.
• Identify and mentor a first or second year medical student of the recipient's choice with the expectation that that student will apply for the scholarship in subsequent years.
• A completed reimbursement form with all original receipts, reflecting actual travel, room, board, and ancillary expenses, upon which the scholarship disbursement will be based. Maximum disbursement in $1000, minimum is $250.
Deadline: May 31, 2012
