SDN Marks Silver Anniversary with $2,500 Scholarship for Aspiring Health Professionals

Originally published September 11, 2024. Organizational names and links have been updated to reflect the nonprofit’s current identity.

The Student Doctor Network (SDN) recently announced a new scholarship initiative for pre-health students. In honor of the silver anniversary of the Student Doctor Network (SDN), which it publishes, the SDN Pre-Health Scholarship will award $2,500 to one student annually.

“For 25 years, SDN has helped students achieve their dreams of becoming doctors by providing support, advising resources, and tools for the admissions process,” said Laura Turner, Executive Director of SDN. “We are excited to launch this new initiative to provide financial support to students as they traverse the daunting and expensive process of applying to health professional programs.”

SDN uniquely provides anonymous online advising services, supporting a diverse range of students. Based on our research, site members are more likely to be non-traditional or first-generation students, who may not be as familiar with the health professional school admissions processes and expectations of applicants. Students are effusive in their praise of SDN. One member gushed, “I love you guys!!! Thank you for everything you do for the health professions community! I would be so lost without you and SDN.”

Applying to health professional schools is an expensive proposition. SDN’s Medical School Application Cost Calculator estimates the cost of applying to medical school at an average number of schools with in-person interviews at approximately $4000. “The spread of virtual interviews, which became common during the COVID-19 pandemic, has reduced the cost of applications somewhat, but there are still extensive costs associated with test preparation and applications. Additionally, some schools have returned to in-person interviews, which incur travel costs,” said Dr. Emil Chuck, Director of Advising Services for SDN.

Students interested in applying for the scholarship are encouraged to sign up to receive updates, including notifications when more information is available and applications open:

SDN resources and targeted donations will fund the scholarship. If you would like to support this initiative, you can submit a donation in support of the scholarship.