First-Generation Scholarship
This $3,000 scholarship provided by the Osteopathic Founders Foundation, to be used during the recipient’s next year of study, will annually recognize, honor, and encourage one osteopathic medical student who is the first in their immediate family to graduate from post-secondary education prior to osteopathic medical school matriculation.
The recipient will be selected by a committee of the Board of Directors from all applications received from the combined OSU-COM campuses.
The application will open open on February 1st and close at 5:00pm on March 31st annually.
2024 was the inaugural year for this scholarship.
Eligibility Criteria
* Rising OMS II, OMS III or OMS IV student
* First in the immediate family to graduate from post-secondary education prior to osteopathic medical school matriculation
Required Documents for Application
* Personal statement that describes the path to post-secondary education, the decision to pursue a career in osteopathic medicine and a discussion of goals for future practice and anticipated impact on healthcare. (written by applicant)
* Current professional photo (in jpg or png format)
* CV
Additional Information
Applicants will be reviewed based on the following criteria…
* Clearly describes the pathway to post-secondary education.
* Has defined the reason for choosing a career in osteopathic medicine.
* Future practice goals and anticipated impact on healthcare.
After the committee reviews the applications, each applicant will be notified of his/her status. Please allow 6-8 weeks for the notification from the close of the application.
Additional questions may be directed to Michele Caine at 918-551-7300 or mcaine@osteopathicfounders.org.
The application is now open for the 2025-2026 academic year
and will close on Monday, March 31st at 5:00pm CST.
LINK TO APPLICATION
2024 First-Generation Scholarship
The recipient of the inaugural 2024 First-Generation Scholarship is Deserée Jones. Deserée received a degree in biology from Tulsa Community college followed by a degree in cellular and molecular biology from Northeastern State University. She is an Albert Schweitzer Fellow, where she pioneered a program to build a school-to-healthcare pipeline, and a George Kaiser Family Foundation Scholar in Urban Medicine. In 2022, she assisted in the organization of a three-day regional conference with 200 medical students of color from 7 states. Deserée solidified her desire to follow a career in osteopathic medicine when encountering a compassionate osteopathic physician during the treatment of a family member. She was also recipient of the 2023 Founders’ Leadership Award.