A physician who graduated from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine and his spouse are bequeathing their estate to the medical school, creating a new scholarship they hope will encourage future alumni to pay it forward.

The anonymous gift, valued at $12.3 million, will become the largest endowed scholarship fund at Pritzker. The gift comes as a result of the schools Legacy Challenge, a campaign to increase student scholarships.

This generous gift will ensurein perpetuitythat bright, deserving students who want to pursue degrees in medicine will be able to do so regardless of their financial ability, said Kenneth Polonsky, dean of the Biological Sciences Division and the Pritzker School of Medicine. Its a testament to the donors deep connection to Pritzker and their desire that future generations of physicians are able to come here and thrive.

The physician attended Pritzker thanks to financial aid provided by the school and arranged by the late Joseph Ceithaml, Pritzkers dean of students from 1951 to 1986. Without the scholarship, he said he would have been unable to attend the renowned medical school.

The donors feel privileged to be able to pay it forward to a school that gave them so much, said Holly Humphrey, Pritzkers dean of medical education. They hope this gift inspires current and future alumni to give back to Pritzker and ensure its legacy of medical education.

Known as one of the countrys best training grounds for future physicians, Pritzker is among the nations top medical schools for both research and primary care. Its the highest-ranking medical school for research in Illinois. A school with about 350 students, Pritzker places a strong emphasis on research and discovery while translating the most recent advances in biomedical science to the bedside.

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Alumnus endows medical school scholarship program with estate gift - UChicago News