Healthcare Scholarship Fund For Latinos.

Tenet Healthcare Foundation (THF) and USC University Hospital, in conjunction with USC Keck School of Medicine and the USC Mexican American Alumni Association have joined efforts to create a unique scholarship program that will provide funding for Latinos who dream of attending medical school and becoming doctors. Under the newly-formed Latino Medical Student Tri-Partite Scholarship Program, THF/USC University Hospital, USC Keck School of Medicine and the USC Mexican American Alumni Association will donate a combined $33,000 annually, including 2001, to provide partial tuition funding for 3 new Latino medical students each year at USC’s Keck School of Medicine. Over the course of 7 years, THF’s matched donation will total $165,000. Over the past 3 years, Tenet Foundation has awarded a total of $116,000 through similar minority scholarships to more than 64 deserving students across the U.S.

“The mission of the Tenet Foundation is to give back services to the communities we serve,” says Barbara Luton, Executive Director, Tenet Healthcare Foundation. “Grants can cover a multitude of purposes, from helping feed the hungry, to sponsoring free diabetes screenings, to training our future physicians of tomorrow.”

To qualify for the Latino Medical Student scholarship, students of Hispanic origin who wish to study at USC Keck School of Medicine must illustrate exemplary academic and testing achievement, strong community service and involvement, and intent to serve the medical needs of Latinos as physicians and healthcare professionals in medical research, or through affiliations with Tenet facilities or other hospitals in Hispanic-dominant communities across the country. The scholarship screening committee, comprising representatives of the tri-partite sponsors will also evaluate the applicant’s demonstrated ability to successfully complete the medical school curriculum and residency program.

“Tenet has a long legacy of support and active involvement in the Latino community, and we are very pleased to lend our financial support to this important scholarship initiative,” says Gus Valdespino, Senior Vice President, Operations, Southern California Region II, Tenet HealthSystem. “As Latino populations continue to surge in California and across the nation, there is an increasing need for physicians who can provide medical care with cultural sensitivity and understanding, and our aim is to provide that infrastructure through this effort.”

The 2001 recipients of the Latino Medical Student Tri-Partite Scholarship program are Michele Cornman of Whittier, Ulises Garcia of Canoga Park and Rebecca Carrillo of Oakland California.

A recent (1999) study conducted by David Hayes-Bautista titled “Latino Physician Shortage in California” indicates that Latino physicians are greatly under-represented in the State’s physician supply. Out of a total of 74,345 physicians of all ethnicities licensed to practice in the State of California, only 3,578 were of Latino descent, or 4.8 percent. Current U.S. Census Bureau data illustrates that there are more than 10.9 million Latinos residing in the State of California (32%) and the Los Angeles County Latino population is 4.2 million. The states with the largest Latino populations are California (10.9 million), Texas (6.6 million) and New York (2.8 million). By 2050, Latinos are projected to make up 25 percent of the total U.S. population.