The National Medical Association Special Awards Program

The National Medical Association is sponsoring two merit awards programs that recognize and reward African-American medical students for special achievements, academic excellence, leadership and potential for outstanding contribution to medicine.

The NMA Merit Scholarship recognizes outstanding academic achievement and leadership. The Slack Awards for Medical Journalism rewards demonstrated skill in journalism as well as academic achievement and leadership.

The Programs

The NMA Merit Scholarship is the highest academic honor presented to students by the National Medical Association. These awards recognize academic achievement, leadership and potential for distinguished contributions to medicine, and have a need component. Current first-, second-, and third-year medical students are eligible for these awards. Each NMA Merit Scholarship is $2,250.

The Slack Award for Medical Journalism is given to students who demonstrate skill and interest in medical journalism. These awards also recognize academic achievement and leadership. Candidates must be third and fourth-year students and must have had articles, abstracts, or photographs published in or been writers, editors or photographers on the staff of:

school-based newsletters, newspapers or journals;
medical student journals, such as the Journal of the Student National Medical Association or the New Physician magazine;
recognized professional journals, such as the Journal of the National Medical Association, or the New England Journal of Medicine; or
other referred, scientific journals.
Students who have written, produced or directed health-related films, commercials or videos are encouraged to submit their application and samples of their work in consideration for a Slack award.

Each Slack award is 2,500.

Application Requirements

Eligibility for these awards is limited to African-American medical students attending M.D. degree-granting schools in the United States accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medial Education of the Association of American Medical Colleges, or D.O. degree-granting schools accredited by the Bureau of Professional Education of the American Osteopathic Association.

National Medical Fellowships, Inc. is accepting a total of four applications from each medical school: two applications for the NMA Merit Scholarship and two for the NMA Slack Award. General application materials must include:

A letter of recommendation written by the dean that fully discusses the candidate�s academic performance, extracurricular activities and other qualifications for either the NMA Merit Scholarship or the NMA Slack Award.
A scholarship program application in which the student provides basic biographical and educational information.
An essay of at least 500 words, written by the student, that discusses the motivation for a career in medicine and his or her career plans for the next ten years.
An official academic transcript.
(For NMA Merit Scholarships only.) A financial aid transcript, submitted by the medical school financial aid office, that itemizes the sources of scholarship and loan support received. Students must also provide income tax returns for parents and spouses.
Applicants for the Slack Awards in Medical Journalism must also submit samples of their work (articles, photographs, audio tapes, video tapes, etc.) for review by the selection committee. Printed articles and photographs may be submitted in the form of clippings, reprints or photocopies showing the names and dates of the publications in which they appeared. Broadcast (radio and television), film and video entries should be submitted as scripted material accompanied by audio cassettes and 3/4" video cassettes. Entries must have been published with the last three years.
Selection Criteria

Application for each of the scholarships will be reviewed by the Council on Talent Recruitment, Retention and Financial Aid of the National Medical Association.

Winners of the NMA Merit Scholarships will be selected on the basis of :

Documented financial need, verified by the medical school through submission of financial aid transcripts, copies of parents� and spouses� income tax returns, and official financial aid package for the academic year in which assistance is being requested.
Community involvement, as demonstrated by such activities as participation in medical school recruitment, tutoring, holding office in campus or community service organizations, or initiation of innovative projects in school or in the community.
Academic achievement, as indicated in letters of nomination, academic transcripts, evaluations, induction into medical honor societies, or receipt of academic honors, awards or fellowships while in medical school.
Potential for responsible role in medicine, as indicated by participation in unique clerkships, fellowships or research projects, or authorship/co-authorship of scientific articles.
The Slack Scholars will be selected on the basis of demonstrated journalistic skill as well as community involvement, academic achievement and potential for outstanding contributions to medicine.

The National Medical Association
Founded in 1895, the National Medical Association represents more than 20,000 physicians of African-American decent in the United States. The NMA actively addresses those issues affecting the ability of its members to deliver quality health care and has aggressively sought to assure equal access and availability to health care services. Through its special awards to African-American medical students, the NMA hopes to continue meeting one of the organization�s major objectives, to raise the standards of the medical profession and medical education.

National Medical Fellowship, Inc.
National Medical Fellowships, Inc. was founded in 1946 by the noted bone physiologist, Franklin C. McLean, M.D., Ph.D. NMF is the only national, private, nonprofit organization in the United States dedicated to increasing the number of minority physicians through need-based scholarship, special awards and fellowships to medical students from four groups underrepresented in medicine: African-Americans, Native Americans, Mexican-Americans, and mainland Puerto Ricans. Since its founding, NMF has awarded over $34 million to approximately 18,000 men and women.

Application Deadline Date and Announcement of Winners
Applications are available in the dean�s office of your medical school. The deadline for submission of application materials is June 20. Incomplete applications will not be considered for awards. Faxes will not be accepted. Award winners will be announced by August 31.

Program Administration
The National Medical Association Special Awards Programs are administered by National Medical Fellowships, Inc. The program director Maritza E. Myers, vice president for Program Development and Management.

All inquires and applications should be directed to:

The National Medical Association
Special Awards Programs
National Medical Fellowships, Inc.
110 West 32nd Street
New York, New York 10001
(212) 714-1007

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