04/29/2008 10:19:42 - (David)
Students in the charter class at the University of Central Florida's College of Medicine will pursue -- for free -- their dreams of becoming medical doctors thanks to 40 scholarships fully funded by the Central Florida community.
University officials today announced the completion of the first-of-its-kind scholarship fundraising campaign. That means each student in the school's charter class will receive a four-year scholarship worth $160,000 – about $20,000 for tuition and $20,000 for living expenses and fees each year.
According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, no other medical school in the nation has provided full scholarships to an entire class. The scholarships are significant because the average debt of a medical school graduate in 2007 was $139,517, according to the AAMC.
"This is a momentous occasion – we have made history," said UCF President John Hitt. "Through the generosity of our community, we reached our goal of raising $6.4 million for this remarkable scholarship program. I want to thank everyone who helped us make an investment in our collective future."
The College of Medicine is set to open in fall 2009. The college will begin taking applications on June 1. Students who are admitted will automatically receive the scholarship.
Gaining acceptance into the medical school should be quite competitive. Requirements are posted at www.med.ucf.edu and officials say they are seeking the best and brightest candidates who are well rounded and have a pioneering spirit.
The four-year medical program will capitalize on UCF's existing strengths in biomedical sciences, modeling and simulation, and optics and photonics. Other programs in materials science, psychology, chemistry, film and digital media, hospitality and nursing will support the College of Medicine. The college will eventually produce about 120 medical graduates each year.