Aspirus Scholars Program

The Aspirus Scholars Program awards up to five scholarships per year.

Medical students
Students can be awarded up to $175,000 in scholarship aid for tuition while enrolled at the Medical College of Wisconsin-Central Wisconsin (MCW-CW) Campus, the University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth Campus (UMD Medical School), or the Covenant HealthCare College of Medicine at Central Michigan University (CMU College of Medicine).

In return, upon completion of medical school and residency training, the student agrees to employment with Aspirus. The program is open to MCW-CW students pursuing primary care or emergency medicine, and to UMD College of Medicine and CMU College of Medicine students pursuing primary care, with additional specialties considered based on Aspirus workforce needs. 

• Complete and pass all required aspects of the respective medical school curriculum and competencies.
  
• Agree to provide three years of service through employment by Aspirus in primary care (family medicine, internal medicine, hospital medicine), or emergency medicine in a community served by Aspirus. Aspirus shall offer an employment agreement that is consistent with its practices for employing physicians or advanced practice providers, and shall offer a compensation and benefits package substantially similar to those offered to other physicians and providers employed at Aspirus in that particular specialty area.
  

If you are interested in changing lives, including your own, by joining the Aspirus family and practicing in primary care, psychiatry, or general surgery, then you should consider applying.

Interested candidates should have the following qualifications:

• Enrolled at MCW-CW, UMD College of Medicine or CMU College of Medicine.
• Commitment to Aspirus’ mission and promise of passion for excellence, compassion for people.
• Strong interest in primary care (family medicine, internal medicine, hospital medicine) or emergency medicine. 
• Strong desire to develop connections within Aspirus’ communities.

Special consideration will be given to students who:

• Have graduated from communities in which Aspirus has facilities.
• Have a strong connection to Aspirus (i.e., volunteer, student, employee, etc.)

• Applications will be accepted through September 30 of each year. A Scholarship Selection Committee comprised of community members and representatives of Aspirus entities will review, rate, and rank applications based on the goals of the Aspirus Scholars Program.
• Following applications and an interview process, recommendations will be made to the Aspirus Health Foundation Board of Directors in December. Students approved by the board will receive notification in writing by December 31. Any applicant not selected may reapply for a scholarship in the loan program in a future year of medical school.

Prior to the distribution of payments, Applicants selected for scholarship awards will be notified and presented with an Aspirus Scholars Shell Agreement, repayment conditions, and timing of payments.

Scholarship recipients will be provided a time frame in which to accept the scholarship award. Upon Aspirus’ receipt of the signed scholarship agreement and promissory note, the initial scholarship payment will be disbursed to the MCW, UMD, or CMU Financial Aid Office, and each year thereafter through the duration of the scholarship.

The Aspirus Provider Recruitment team will keep in touch with students throughout medical school and residency to help identify the right practice opportunities within the Aspirus system for both the student/resident and Aspirus.

We believe this process will help students make informed decisions about their future and will uphold the integrity of the Aspirus Scholars Program.

Disbursements are contingent upon compliance with all requirements set forth in the Aspirus Scholars Program Scholarship Agreement and related documents.

Failure to meet any obligations of the scholarship during medical school will result in scholarship ineligibility and repayment per terms of the scholarship agreement.

Failure to meet any conditions or obligations of the scholarship following graduation will result in immediate repayment for previously disbursed or unforgiven scholarship funds per terms of the scholarship agreement.

Current Aspirus hospitals, clinics, and other medical facilities are located in Wisconsin, Minnesota and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. These locations and facilities are subject to change. You can view a map of the Aspirus service area here.

Yes. Students will work with the Aspirus Provider Recruitment Team to identify a community and practice that are a strong long-term fit. While placement in a specific location or clinic cannot be guaranteed at the time of training completion, the team makes every effort to align Scholars with or near their top geographic preferences.

No. Students will select their residency programs based on the medical field they wish to pursue. Scholars with family medicine interest are encouraged to apply to the Aspirus Family Medicine Residency.

If you’re interested, but not sure, we encourage you to apply. Go through the application and interview process to learn if it’s right for you. Applicants can withdraw at any time or decline the offer.