Aspirus Scholars Program

Through the program, students can be awarded up to $150,000 in scholarship aid for tuition while enrolled in the medical student program at the Medical College of Wisconsin-Central Wisconsin (MCW-CW) Campus.

In return, upon completion of medical school and residency training, the student agrees to employment with Aspirus.  The program is open to first- and second-year medical students in pursuit of primary care, psychiatry, or general surgery careers from the MCW-CW Campus. Two first-year students and two second-year students will be selected to receive scholarships in 2017.

• Complete and pass all required aspects of the medical school curriculum, including all standards of academic and professionalism.
• Complete the MCW-Central Wisconsin Discovery Curriculum successfully.  Student must also complete and demonstrate the MCW Global Competencies, the majority of the longitudinal integrated clerkship (summer between M1 and M2 and all of M3 year) with Aspirus.
• Agree to provide five years of service through employment by Aspirus in primary care, general surgery or psychiatry in a community served by Aspirus. Aspirus shall offer an employment agreement that is consistent with its practices for employing physicians, and shall offer a compensation and benefits package substantially similar to those offered to other physicians employed at Aspirus in that particular specialty area.
• Annual affirmation of continued interest to practice in primary care, general surgery or psychiatry in a community served by Aspirus through employment by an Aspirus entity by signing an annual promissory note.

If you are interested in changing lives, including your own, by joining the Aspirus family and practicing in primary care, psychiatry, or general surgery with Aspirus in north central Wisconsin or the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, then you should consider applying. 

Interested candidates should have the following qualifications:

• Participation in a majority of MCW-CW clinical training with Aspirus-related entities.
• Commitment to Aspirus’ mission and promise of passion for excellence, compassion for people.
• Strong interest in primary care (family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics/gynecology), general surgery, or psychiatry.
• 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 in North Central Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
• Have a strong connection to Aspirus (i.e., volunteer, student, employee, etc.)

Applications will be accepted until September 30 of each year.  A Scholarship Selection Committee comprised of community members and representatives of Aspirus entities in north central Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan will review, rate, and rank applications based on the goals of the Aspirus Scholars Program.

Recommendations will be made to the Aspirus Health Foundation Board of Directors in December or January, and any student(s) approved by the board will receive notification in writing by January 31 of each year.  Any applicant not selected may reapply for a scholarship in the loan program in the second year of medical school.

Prior to the distribution of payments, Applicants selected for scholarship awards will meet with a representative(s) of the Aspirus Scholars Scholarship Selection Committee to review the Aspirus Scholars Agreement and discuss terms of the service commitment, repayment conditions, and federal and state income tax requirements and timing of tax payments.

Scholarship recipients will be provided a short timeframe in which to accept the scholarship award. Upon Aspirus’ receipt of the signed scholarship agreement, the initial scholarship payment will be disbursed to the MCW Financial Aid Office, and each year thereafter upon Aspirus’ receipt of a signed promissory note.

Students will be asked to sign a yearly promissory note prior to further payments to ensure continued interest in practicing primary care, general surgery, or psychiatry with an Aspirus entity.

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 as a MCW-CW student will result in scholarship ineligibility and immediate repayment of the scholarship.

Failure to meet any conditions or obligations of the scholarship following graduation MCW-CW medical school will result in immediate repayment for previously disbursed or unforgiven scholarship funds.  Details are listed in the Aspirus Scholars Program Scholarship Agreement.

Current Aspirus hospitals, clinics, and other medical facilities are located in Wisconsin 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, just as all new providers do, to determine which community and which practice would be a good fit for the long-term. There are, however, no guarantees that a position will be available in a specific geographic location or particular clinic upon the students' completion of training.

No. Students will select their residency programs based on the medical field they wish to pursue. Aspirus does have a family medicine residency in Wausau, and Aspirus Scholars will be given preference in the match.

If you’re interested, but not sure, apply anyway by September 30. 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. If you change your mind after you accept the award and receive payments, you simply repay the loan amount.

Through the program, students can be awarded up to $70,000 in scholarship aid based on the total cost of tuition while enrolled in the Physician Assistant (PA) or Nurse Practitioner (NP) program at the following universities:

• University of Wisconsin-Madison and WisPACT Program at UW-Marathon County
• Marquette University
• Central Michigan University
• Northern Michigan University
  

In return, upon completion of PA or NP school, the student agrees to employment with Aspirus.  The program is open to first-year PA or NP students in pursuit of primary care, psychiatry, or general surgery careers. Two first-year students will be selected to receive scholarships in 2017. 

• Complete and pass all required aspects of the respective Physician Assistant (PA) or Nurse Practitioner (NP) curriculum including all standards of academic and professionalism.
• Agree to provide five years of service through employment by Aspirus in primary care (family medicine, pediatrics, internal medicine, obstetrics/gynecology), general surgery or psychiatry in a community served by Aspirus.  Aspirus shall offer an employment agreement that is consistent with its practices for employing advanced practice providers, and shall offer a compensation and benefits package substantially similar to those offered to other advanced practice providers employed at Aspirus in that particular specialty area.
• Annual affirmation of continued interest to practice in primary care, general surgery or psychiatry in a community served by Aspirus through employment by an Aspirus entity by signing an annual promissory note.

If you are interested in changing lives, including your own, by joining the Aspirus family and practicing in primary care, psychiatry, or general surgery with Aspirus in north central Wisconsin or the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, then you should consider applying. 

Interested candidates should have the following qualifications:

• Participation in a clinical training with Aspirus-related entities.
• Commitment to Aspirus’ mission and promise of passion for excellence, compassion for people.
• Strong interest in primary care, general surgery, or psychiatry.
• 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 in North Central Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
• Have a strong connection to Aspirus (i.e., volunteer, student, employee, etc. )

Applications will be accepted until September 30 of each year.  A Scholarship Selection Committee comprised of community members and representatives of Aspirus entities in north central Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan will review, rate, and rank applications based on the goals of the Aspirus Scholars Program. 

Finalists will be selected for in-person interviews.  Recommendations will be made to the Aspirus Health Foundation Board of Directors in December or January, and any student(s) approved by the board will receive notification in writing by January 31 of each year.  Any applicant not selected may reapply for a scholarship in the loan program in the second year of medical school.

Prior to the distribution of payments, applicants selected for scholarship awards will meet with a representative(s) of the Aspirus Scholars Scholarship Selection Committee to review the Aspirus Scholars Agreement and discuss terms of the service commitment, repayment conditions, and federal and state income tax requirements and timing of tax payments

Scholarship recipients will be provided a short timeframe in which to accept the scholarship award.
Upon Aspirus’ receipt of the signed scholarship agreement, the initial scholarship payment will be disbursed to the UW Financial Aid Office, and each year thereafter upon Aspirus’ receipt of a signed promissory note.

Students will be asked to sign a yearly promissory note prior to further payments to ensure continued interest in practicing primary care, general surgery, or psychiatry with an Aspirus entity

The Aspirus Provider Recruitment  team will keep in touch with students to help identify the right practice opportunities within the Aspirus system for both the student 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 PA or NP school will result in scholarship ineligibility and immediate repayment of the scholarship. 

Failure to meet any conditions or obligations of the scholarship following graduation will result in immediate repayment for previously disbursed or unforgiven scholarship funds.  Details are listed in the Aspirus Scholars Program Scholarship Agreement.

Current Aspirus hospitals, clinics, and other medical facilities are located in Wisconsin 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, just as all new providers do, to determine which community and which practice would be a good fit for the long-term. There are, however, no guarantees that a position will be available in a specific geographic location or particular clinic upon the students' completion of training.

No. Students will select their residency programs based on the medical field they wish to pursue. Aspirus does have a family medicine residency in Wausau, and Aspirus Scholars will be given preference in the match.

If you’re interested, but not sure, apply anyway by September 30. 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. If you change your mind after you accept the award and receive payments, you simply repay the loan amount.