When Amanda Apple attended LECOMs medical school here from 2006 until 2010, she was surprised to find a modern-looking medical school surrounded by cow fields.

But Apple a 28-year-old St. Petersburg native who just finished up her residency in June and landed her first job as an emergency room doctor in St. Peterburgs Bayfront Health Hospital said she was more surprised when the college started paying her for her good grades as part of an academic scholarship.

Obviously medical school is worth a pretty good penny, Apple said. But the scholarships have not only been a sign of my school believing in me, which is very supportive, but the money was beneficial too.

LECOM which stands for the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine plans to host its annual Student Scholarship Fund Dinner and Auction Gala on Oct. 11 at the Hyatt Regencys Grand Ballroom in Sarasota.

Between LECOMs Lakewood Ranch Campus and its flagship campus in Erie, Pennsylvania, the college awarded $3.7 million in student scholarships last year.

Half of the money came from the auction events, while the other half came from matching donations from LECOMs Board of Trustees.

Last year 545 of the 1,600 students enrolled at the Lakewood Ranch campus received scholarships, which are awarded for high grade point averages and community and school service.

LECOM believes that each student has a purpose that they come to the calling of medicine for a reason, said Dr. Silvia Ferretti, provost of the LECOM campuses. We have an unrelenting mission to help them fulfill that purpose.

Apple said she received between $1,000 and $5,000 each year from an academic scholarship. She said it wasnt just the money that helped.

Its a really nice, good amount of support, but what meant more was that the school believed in you enough to give it to you, she said. Med school is very stressful you think sometimes youre not going to make it to the end but to know theyre supporting you means a lot.

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Gala gives LECOM students a boost