Seattle-based University of Washington School of Medicine received $25 million to establish a scholarship and education program to increase the number of physicians serving in rural and Native communities.
The donation is the largest known family gift to rural healthcare education nationwide and was given by philanthropists William and Carolyn Franke, according to a June 3 university news release. It will be used to fund scholarships, student support and education programs for students committed to serving rural and Native communities in Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho.
Specifically, $20 million will be used to cover half of medical school tuition for approximately 30 students, while $4.5 million will establish the Franke Family Endowed Fund for Excellence to bolster student recruitment and retention and form the W.A. Franke Rural Medical Education Summit. The remaining $500,000 will fund the Franke Family Excellence Fund to provide immediate support for the summit.
The region encompassing Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho has one of the country’s most severe primary care physician shortages and ranks 50th in physicians per capita, Native News Online reported.
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