The stress and pressures of notoriously rigorous medical study are often compounded by the burden of paying for it. GW’s Adopt-a-Doc scholarships help ease the way with monetary and mentoring support, thanks to the philanthropic leadership of double alumnus Russell Libby, B.S. '74, M.D., '79, and his wife, physician Mary Schmidt, M.D.
Libby and Schmidt’s initial gift launched the program in 2010, inspiring at least 165 additional donors to support more than 80 scholarship recipients since. Libby, a long-time GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS) supporter, created the scholarships to honor his late mother, Leona Libby Feldman, and encouraged fellow alumni to join him in giving back.
Stephano Bonitto, M.D. '23, recalls fondly the sage advice and personal encouragement from Libby and Schmidt he received as an Adopt-a-Doc scholar over his four years at SMHS. They discussed preclinical, clinical rotations, residency applications and more. Bonitto is now a surgical resident at Ochsner Health in New Orleans.
“I always knew I could count on them for any questions I had," Bonitto said. "Every time we talked, I learned something new from them."
The mentoring component, while not a requirement, can be very personally rewarding to donors, Libby noted. “It's a pleasure to play a meaningful role in students’ medical school experience and to help them find their purpose in this wonderful profession.”
“Medical school comprises some of the most formative years of a physician’s life,” said Barbara Lee Bass, vice president for health affairs, GW SMHS dean and Walter A. Bloedorn Chair of Administrative Medicine. “The value of strong and supportive role models and sponsors cannot be understated.”
Bass recalled that her medical school mentors had a profound impact, particularly since few women pursued surgery at the time. Bass remembers how two professors of surgery, both men, supported and guided her choice of surgery and connected her with two pioneering women in academic surgery 45 years ago. “Seeing and learning from others who had achieved their goals was invaluable and led to lifelong treasured relationships,” she said.
Most Adopt-a-Doc donors are SMHS alumni, such as Jason Kofinas, B.A. ’05, M.D. ’09, and Antonia Kofinas, B.A. ’07, M.D. ’11. Last year, the couple made the program’s largest gift to date, $500,000.
“Antonia and I both remember the countless hours per day we spent studying and becoming the best doctors we can be,” said Jason Kofinas. “We credit our life, our relationship and our careers to GW. We were both lucky to graduate debt-free, but we see our peers struggling with debt and families that are unable to support their children in medical school.” He hopes their gift encourages more alumni to give and support our future doctors.
GW Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations Donna Arbide remarked how medical school scholarships reach far beyond the individual recipient.
“Supporting a single future physician can positively impact hundreds, if not thousands, of patients they will see over their careers,” Arbide said. “Philanthropy helps them pursue their passion for a particular specialty area regardless of the future salary potential. We are so grateful to all of our Adopt-a-Doc donors.”
"The Adopt-a-Doc scholarship allowed me to feel more comfortable entering my desired field, pediatrics, despite notoriously lower financial compensation in pediatrics compared to other fields of medicine," said former Adopt-a-Doc Scholar Jane Henriques, M.D. ’23, now a pediatric resident at Children's National Medical Center. "I could focus on my dreams and work without being overly burdened by financial stress."
Those interested in supporting future physicians are encouraged to donate to the Adopt-a-Doc general scholarship fund. To establish a named fund, please call 202-994-7511 to speak to a GW gift officer.