Nina Lemieux says getting chosen as a recipient of a new scholarship added to the Texas Medical Association’s cadre of programs is an incredible honor and source of encouragement as she moves forward in her medical education.
“After a whirlwind year filled with clinical rotations and shelf exams, this scholarship reminds me that I have been and continue to be supported by countless individuals in my training to become a competent, community-oriented physician,” the third-year student at The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School said.
Ms. Lemieux is one of six Texas medical students to be the first recipients of the Krishna Memorial Scholarship, offered as part of TMA’s family of seven scholarship programs.
The $1,000 scholarship is available to U.S. citizens in their second through fourth years of medical school within The University of Texas System. Recipients are selected based on ability, scholarship, and medical aptitude, plus financial need.
The other five inaugural recipients are:
- Christopher Bacak of Austin, a fourth-year student at UT Health San Antonio Long School of Medicine;
- Lillian Carter of Dallas, a second-year student at UT Southwestern Medical School;
- Oscar Gonzalez of Pharr, a fourth-year student at UT Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine;
- Romil Patel of Houston, a fourth-year student at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth; and
- Viridiana Saenz, of Galveston, a fourth-year student at UT Medical Branch School of Medicine.
Ms. Saenz says she “grew up poor in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, and overcame the challenges of learning English while attending college. As an immigrant and first-generation college graduate and MD candidate, many individuals have supported me along this journey. I hope to follow the example by similarly supporting other students throughout their career goals.”
At 42 years old, Mr. Gonzalez describes himself as a “nontraditional student,” living 500 miles away from his children and dealing with responsibilities not covered in the cost-of-living portion of student loans. “This scholarship will grant access to valuable items such as extra test prep material, travel funds for conferences, and membership fees to different medical societies. Thank you for your investment in students like me,” he said.
The Krishna Memorial Scholarships will be awarded annually in the summer, based on recommendations from each school’s financial aid office. For more information about scholarships and loans available through TMA, visit the Educational Loans and Scholarships webpage.
Tammy Wishard
Account Manager, Division of Communications and Marketing
(512) 370-1470