Support OHSU Students and Education

OHSU students are the next generation of healers, caregivers and innovators, all driven by a common goal—to create a healthier future for all. You can make a huge difference for OHSU students through scholarships and student support.

Medical student in her white coat stands by Tillicum Bridge

Help us raise $25 million for scholarships. Your gift will be matched $1 for every $2 while matching funds last.

Supporting scholarships for a healthy future

To help future health care leaders address today’s unprecedented challenges, OHSU has launched a student support initiative.

This matching gift and donation program seeks to generate as much new financial support as possible. To amplify the power of your philanthropic support, all qualifying gifts or donations will be matched $1 for every $2, up to a total of $10 million while matching funds last.

About scholarships

Meet the students

Jacob Smith

Jacob reflects on how his patient experience at Doernbecher influenced his goals today and how OHSU helped him realize his own culturally rooted call to heal.

Smiling young woman sits in the Robertson Life Sciences Building with her foot propped up

Marissa Song Mayeda

As a medical student, Marissa wants to bridge the gap between public health, health policy and medicine.

Marina Youssef

Marina grew up in rural Egypt, where oral health wasn’t a priority. Once she moved to the U.S., Marina learned about oral care — and fell in love with dentistry.

Support tomorrow’s health care leaders

One of OHSU’s highest priorities is ensuring that students are supported. Scholarships allow the best, brightest and most diverse students to train at OHSU and to go where our region needs them most. Scholarships:

break down barriers to access
allow OHSU to train and equip the next generation of health care leaders
help retain graduates in Oregon.

Through the power of endowment, the impact of scholarships will last far into the future, meaning that contributions made today will continue to support exceptional medical students for years to come.

Overhead image of students eating and talking in the atrium of a building

Why scholarships matter

Health care scholarships and direct student support are made possible through your generous help. Your donations will help OHSU:

Attract and retain the best and brightest students

The availability of financial aid often plays a big part in an applicant’s choice of dental, medical or nursing school. Scholarships enable OHSU to recognize talent and merit, attracting a more diverse student community and supporting exceptional students who could otherwise not afford to enroll here.

Meet Oregon’s changing needs

Oregon’s population has grown dramatically over the years, both in size and diversity. At the same time, a surge in retirements is driving severe shortages of health care professionals – while the state and the nation were already facing a critical nursing shortage. We must not just replace those providers we have lost – but expand the pool considerably – with graduates who possess a passion to serve in communities across Oregon and whose backgrounds mirror the profile of our state’s changing population.

Student sitting outside with fall leaves in background

Impact of scholarships

Philanthropy and scholarships help open the doors to students who would not otherwise be able to attend OHSU. Hear from five current and past students about how scholarships have impacted their education and their future.

Learn more

A powerful return on investment

Savvy donors want to know their gift is invested wisely. Here’s how two different gift amounts can change a student’s financial future.

$20,000/yr. scholarship over 4 years = $80,000 in giving
Impact: Eliminates $14,000 in accrued interest (7%)
10 Year Projection: -$130,970 in repayment savings due to scholarship

$50,000/yr. scholarship over 4 years = $200,000 in giving
Impact: Eliminates $35,000 in accrued interest (7%)
10 Year Projection: -$327,426 in repayment savings due to scholarship