GALVESTON, Texas —
The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston has received a four-year, $2.6 million dollar grant to increase the number of physicians who enter the primary care field.
The grant from the Health Research Services Administration will provide UTMB $650,000 a year for four years to provide scholarships for disadvantaged students.
“The grant will allow our university to award between 40 and 43 scholarships per year at $15,000 per student,” said Dr. Lauree Thomas, associate dean for student affairs and admissions in the School of Medicine and the principal investigator. She said the grant will cover a student’s tuition and other reasonable educational and living expenses.
“Moreover, this new funding will free up designated tuition and endowment funds, which will allow UTMB to reach more students,” said Thomas, who led efforts to secure the grant.
Dr. Danny O. Jacobs, executive vice president and provost and dean of the School of Medicine, praised Thomas’ efforts. “She has demonstrated a long and sustained commitment to diversity, increased scholarship funding and championed initiatives at UTMB to ensure students can receive a medical education,” Jacobs said.
“This new grant will certainly help us reach out to disadvantaged students who are considering a career in primary care, and, as a result, help address the needs of underserved communities,” Jacobs said.
The new program will be titled Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students to Increase Medical Careers in Primary Care. Assisting in the grant preparation were Drs. Norma Perez, Jeffrey Rabek, Lisa Cain, Pamela O’Callaghan and Glenda McKinney from the Office of Student Affairs and Admissions, as well as Carol Cromie from Enrollment Services and Jay Howell from the Office of Institutional Effectiveness.
“Together, we completed a daunting task of submitting an 80-page grant in a relatively short timeframe,” said Thomas. “Our efforts and hard work paid off, creating a new and promising opportunity for our students and UTMB.”
