Adopt-A-Student
Solutions for Today’s Students
Commitment to Affordable Medical Education
Pursuing medical education is an expensive undertaking. The average debt burden for 80% of our students in is excess of $164,000 which can frequently impact specialty choices.
Dean Karen Antman, M.D., has created a task forces, chaired by John Polk ’74, to identify solutions that could help ease the financial burden on our students. Many of our alumni, who in an earlier era had their own sources of support, now have the opportunity to help support today’s outstanding students.
Establishing an endowed scholarship requires considerable commitment, and on which may be currently out of reach for many of our donors. The newly established “Adopt-A-Student” current-use scholarship program offers donors another option to provide scholarship support through an annual, tax-deductible donation for a defined period of time. It is a meaningful gift and a wonderful way to budget a contribution while giving back to the School.
Current-use scholarships are a valuable tool that provides immediate assistance to today’s medical students who face the challenges of paying their medical education. The Adopt-A-Student program allows you to pledge $5,000 or $10,000 a year for a period of four years, providing support for a student through his or her four years of medical school. The program also offers you the opportunity to establish a personal connection with the student.
Your commitment will not only provide immediate debt relief for a student, it may develop into a potentially gratifying relationship for you. It will allow you to give back to the academic community that nurtured your intellectual growth and served as a springboard to a fulfilling medical career.
We know you understand the value of preserving the quality and character of BUSM and the importance of educating the next generation of medical doctors. The education our medical students receive here at BUSM continues to add value to your degree. We hope you will support the Adopt-A-Student program.
Alumni and Friends – Rising to the Challenge
“I want to make this possible for others”
I enjoyed my four years at the School of Medicine, and was afforded an excellent foundation for my chosen specialty. I was also a beneficiary for financial aid. Without it, my undergraduate medical education would have been very difficult if not impossible. With the level of debt incurred by our current students, it is incumbent upon an alumni in a position to offer support to come to the aid of these student and the School of Medicine. – John Polk ’74
“Scholarship support is critical”
Scholarship support is a critical need of our medical student today. As someone who received his medical education at a significantly lower cost, this is one of the ways I can give back to BUSM and help ease the financial burden on our future physicians. – Barry Manuel ’58 
Tools to practice medicine”
My long-term commitment to the School of Medicine stems from my belief that alumni should support the institution that gave them their education and training. BUSM gave me the tools to practice medicine, which I love doing. I want to help make this possible for others. – David Rothbaum ’82
“World-class doctors doing world-class research”
The Red Sox became involved because I am on the board of visitors for the BU School of Medicine, and the Red Sox are active in the community. The Adopt-A-Student program is a natural extension of our ongoing broad community outreach.
We recognize that the medical community is a crucial part of the Boston civic fabric. We enjoy having world-class doctors doing world-class research in world-class hospitals. This is one of the distinctive things about Boston. – Larry Cancro, BUSM Board of Visitors and Red Sox representative.
The [Red Sox] donation is a great blessing. It reduces my total amount that I have to borrow in loans, which saves me that amount plus interest that would accumulate as well. It really helps you feel better knowing that you have much less of a loan burden to worry about when medical school is all said and done. – George Aghia ’09
“I continue to have a choice”
The scholarship to me means that I retain choices. Until now, all of my education has been paid for primarily by loans. Every little bit helps those of us who truly need the financial assistance to avoid excessive post-medical school debt. As all graduating physicians know, indebtedness is a major factor in choice in specialty. With the continuing support of donors and institutional aid. I continue to have a choice. – Martha Barrett ’09
Let me take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the alumni of Boston University of Medicine for providing me with some of the funding necessary to complete my medical education. I am certain I speak for the entire student body at BUSM when I say “thank you” for your generous support. I assure you that I feel the same sense of duty to the Boston University School of Medicine and future generations of medical students that you do. – Timothy Deisol ’09
“the flexibility to focus on more important things”
It can be difficult to afford the common necessities associated with school such as the high rent costs, tuition and school supplies. I have considered working during the summer and foregoing opportunities because of financial issues, but now this scholarship will give me the flexibility to focus on more important things. It has given me the liberty to pursue a volunteer position conducting clinical research. I truly believ this scholarship is a great opportunity to focus on the real reason why I am in medical school – Yoon-Soo Bae ’09
If you would like to make a donation to or have any questions regarding the Adopt-a-Student program please contact the Alumni Association by telephone (617)638-5150 or email at alumbusm@bu.edu
