ST. LOUIS — A debt-free education seems nearly impossible these days, but Washington University is hoping to make it possible for medical students.
The school has committed $100 million over the next decade for scholarships.
The average debt of a Wash U medical student over the past five years was nearly $100,000. Now, more than half of the students in each class will have either free or reduced tuition.
The school hopes it will increase the number of doctors working in the academic field.
“We hope that they'll go into any of the specialties that they're interested in, but also to work in the academic field,” said Dr. Eva Aagaard, the medical school’s senior associate dean for education.
Physicians in the academic fieldwork in teaching hospitals, do research and advocate in the medical community.
Wash U representatives say they hope these scholarships will also attract students from more diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds.