National Medical Fellowships, Inc. (NMF) is a

nonprofit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

in the United States that provides scholarships and support for underrepresented students in medicine and the

health professions The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to health sciences: Health sciences are those sciences which focus on health, or health care, as core parts of their subject matter. Health sciences relate to multiple acad ...

. Founded in 1946, NMF has provided over $45 million to more than 32,000 students underrepresented in medicine. The organization offers need-based and merit scholarships to Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) students of medicine and other health professions and works to increase diversity in research.

History

NMF was started by Dr.

Franklin C. McLean Franklin Chambers McLean (1888 - September 10, 1968) was a Professor and Chairman of the Department of Medicine and the first appointed Director of the University of Chicago, University of Chicago Medical Clinics, as well as the founder of the Nati ...

MD, PhD, then a professor of physiology at the

University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, U of C, or UChi) is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its main campus is located in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood. The University of Chicago is consistently ranked among the b ...

. Dr. McLean saw that the lack of opportunities for

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

physicians was a problem. NMF started by awarding scholarships to African American physicians and medical students. Over time, NMF expanded its scholarships to other groups that were underrepresented in medicine. ''The New York Times'' credited NMF for its contributions to decreasing racial discrimination and rising medical school enrollment by minorities in 1962.New York Times:Negro Medical Gains; Discrimination Is Steadily Decreasing In Medical Schools Over the Nation Progress in South Negro Physician Shortage Booklet Fills Gap
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Alumni

The Alumni Alliance and the Young Leaders Council advance alumni engagement.

References

{{Authority control Medical and health organizations based in Virginia Philanthropic organizations based in the United States Organizations established in 1948