Summit Health Cares’ Scholarship Program supports promising students with a passion for medicine and community service, equipping the next generation of healthcare leaders to build a healthier, more equitable future.

Pursuing a career in medicine is a powerful calling, but financial hurdles can stand in the way. Our scholarships help remove those obstacles. When we support future doctors, nurses, and health professionals, we create a ripple effect of care, innovation, and equity across entire communities. We break barriers and create impact.

We award scholarships to students who demonstrate outstanding academic achievement and a genuine desire to make a difference in health care. Our recipients are future medical professionals who are deeply committed to their communities. By recognizing both excellence and compassion, we help shape the kind of providers we all want and need.

Summit Health Cares is committed to supporting the next generation of healthcare leaders. Unfortunately, many driven students are certain they want to pursue a career in medicine, only to realize the journey to get there is too expensive. That’s why we are proud to offer the SHC Next Generation Scholarship program aimed at relieving some of the financial burden for students pursuing health care careers, allowing them to focus on the ambitious paths ahead of them.

“I am so grateful to the foundation for this scholarship. Since I was a child, it has been my life dream to be a neurosurgeon, like Ben Carson. This is the first step in my future that is truly life-changing,” explained Vincent, SHC Next Generation Scholarship recipient.

In 2024, SHC granted 58 Next Generation Scholarships, including many to Summit Health employees, encouraging entry-level and junior staff to advance their careers. Scholarships are available to students who are enrolled in an accredited college in the United States. Applicants must have a strong academic standing and pursue a career in health care. All applications are reviewed based on the goals of the individual, the unique story of challenge and the financial burden involved.

Since 2014, SHC has awarded more than $500,000 in scholarships to support the next generation of health care professionals.

The Dr. Marcia A. Sherman Memorial Scholarship was started by John O’Neil in memory of his wife, who was a Summit Health physician. Dr. Sherman believed that the care doctors provide should meet the needs of all members of the community. The scholarship honors a female medical student of color who shares that same belief and embodies Dr. Sherman’s determination to overcome the obstacles that many newcomers face.

“I love medicine because it ties together the abstract and the real, the science and the human, expressed Ankitha Radakrishnan, the first recipient of the scholarship. “Regardless of the major advances the medicine will surely make, one thing will always be present in medicine: compassion.”

2025 represented the sixth year of the Dr. Marcia A. Sherman Memorial Scholarship. Scholarships are awarded each summer.

Beyond scholarships, Summit Health Cares offers educational resources and wellness support for patients and families. From screenings and health education to community events and outreach, we work to ensure everyone, regardless of circumstance, has access to the tools and information needed to live a healthier life.