To reduce medical school debt and enhance the credentials of medical students seeking positions in competitive specialties and residency programs, MD2B has published the book, Medical School Scholarships, Grants & Awards: Insider Advice On How To Win Scholarships. Although the average annual cost to attend medical school has significantly risen, this has not prevented a record number of students from applying to medical school. In 2014, there were over 49,000 applicants to U.S. medical schools. Medical schools have been graduating more students than ever, the result of a nationwide effort to meet the needs of an anticipated manpower shortage. As these students fulfill their professional dreams of becoming physicians, they leave medical school with considerable debt. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the median four-year cost to attend medical school for the class of 2015 was over $226,000 and $298,000 for public and private schools, respectively. 84% of doctors graduate owing an average of over $175,000, a figure that increases significantly with growing interest. The level of medical school debt clearly has an effect on specialty choice, often deterring students from pursuing careers in primary care. Many students feel compelled to enter higher paying fields like plastic surgery or dermatology. Research has also shown that financial worries can increase stress among medical students and residents, leading to such problems as substance abuse and depression. There are concerns that these problems could affect the quality of care delivered to patients and increase the risk of medical errors. Although reducing the cost to attend medical school was a major impetus for the development of this new resource, the benefits of winning awards, scholarships, and grants extend well beyond money. "Awards and scholarships can provide a significant boost to the strength of the residency application, and distinguish applicants from their peers," said Dr. Samir Desai, lead author of the book and faculty member at the Baylor College of Medicine. "Competitive specialties and residency programs value students who have been recognized with awards." More than just an extensive list and description of awards and scholarships, this book delves deep into the strategies for success. Medical students will learn the reasons why most scholarship applicants are "screened out," avoid crucial mistakes on applications, discover ways to help their letter writers draft powerful letters of recommendation, and create essays that stand out. A unique feature of the book are profiles of past winners. These profiles help students understand the qualifications and credentials desired by different scholarship programs. This knowledge will allow students to build credentials over time, increasing the chances of winning awards. For students interested in grants and awards in a particular specialty, there are dedicated chapters for every specialty from anesthesiology to urology. About the Book Medical School Scholarships, Grants & Awards: Insider Advice On How To Win Scholarships 475 pages, softcover, b/w, 5 ½ by 8 ½ in. ISBN # 9781937978044 Publication date: November 6, 2014 List price: $ 29.95 Publisher: MD2B (http://www.MedSchoolAwards.com) Address: MD2B, PO Box 300988, Houston, TX 77230 For more information on Medical School Scholarships, Grants & Awards: Insider Advice On How To Win Scholarships or to purchase the book, visit Amazon. About the Author Samir Desai, M.D. is a faculty member at the Baylor College of Medicine. He is the author of 16 books that have sold over 200,000 copies worldwide. He has educated and mentored medical students, residents, and international medical graduates, work for which he has received numerous teaching awards. He provides consulting services to premedical students, medical students, and residents seeking medical school, residency, and fellowship admission at TheSuccessfulMatch.com.
