Great Minds in STEM (GMiS) is pleased to announce the GMiS California Medical Scholarships/Fellowships, which provide financial assistance and support for underrepresented students pursuing medical professions in the state of California. GMiS awards scholarships in honor of three outstanding individuals who believe(d) in enabling students to achieve their dreams of bettering the quality of human life, especially in the areas of mental health, rehabilitative and geriatric medicine, and individuals with disabilities.

The scholarships are one-time scholarships, and non-renewable.

Up to $25,000 in scholarship awards will be made in 2024.

• Be a member of an underrepresented group in medicine
• Have earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in the U.S. or Puerto Rico with at least a 3.0 Cumulative GPA (On a 4.0 scale)
• Be admitted and plan to enroll, for the 2024-25 academic year, as a first-year or second-year medical student at one of the following universities:
  • University of California, Davis School of Medicine
  • University of California, Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine
  • University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine
  • University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine
• Be pursuing a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree
• Be a U.S. Citizen, Permanent Resident, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA).
• Demonstrate volunteer time, conducted within the past two years in support of seniors and/or individuals with disabilities, especially within the underrepresented community
• Additional preference will be given to applicants, who:
  • Are pursuing medical studies in the areas of mental health, rehabilitative, geriatric medical specialties, or individuals with disabilities
  • Earned an undergraduate or graduate degree in a STEM field of study

• Current Resume (two-page limit)
• Biographical Sketch: In a paragraph (up to 250 words) tell us about yourself
• Letter of Recommendation (Optional): A letter of support from a faculty, medical professional or other adult member of the community who can best attest to your overall merit as a future medical doctor.  Letters must be uploaded directly to the portal by the applicant.
• Personal Statement: In an essay (up to 500 words), please answer thoroughly the following two-part question. NOTE: Please be sure to address the elements as a single essay. You are encouraged to provide specific examples as needed.
  • As a future medical professional, how have your life experiences (cultural, family, school, volunteerism, etc.) helped you to develop the skills and qualities that shape who you are today?
  • How have you applied those skills and qualities to serving the elderly or individuals with disabilities?
• Official or Unofficial Undergraduate Transcript from the institution granting your undergraduate degree.
  • A first-year medical student must submit a transcript from his/her undergraduate degree-granting institution.
  • A second-year medical student must submit a transcript from his/her current medical school.
  • All transcripts MUST BE UPLOADED onto the application portal as part of the application. Do not mail or email transcripts.
  • Multi-page transcripts must be scanned and uploaded as one PDF document.
  • We will NOT accept photos of transcripts (i.e. jpg, gif or png). Transcripts must be scanned and the entire page(s) must be legible in one PDF document.
  • The cumulative GPA, weighted or unweighted, must appear on the transcript, otherwise the transcript will be considered invalid. GMiS does not calculate GPA’s, The GPA must be reported by your institution.
  • If your institution uses a clearinghouse to send transcripts, you must request that the transcript be emailed to you directly. Once you have received the transcript, you must print, scan and upload the transcript to your application.  
  • If you have requested a hard copy of your transcript, you may open your officially sealed transcript, scan and upload with your application.