Medical school scholarship recipients

Sunday, September 01, 2013 12:32 PM

Education Foundation awards two $10,000 scholarships

Michael J. Campo, PhD, CMS Director, Business Development & Member Benefits

During the month of June, freshman students at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, Arezoo Bahramirad and Kenny Rodriguez, were each awarded $10,000 scholarships from the Colorado Medical Society Education Foundation (CMS EF).

The mission of CMS EF, a 501(c)(3) private foundation, is to render financial support to select first-year medical students at the University of Colorado School of Medicine based on criteria such as the student’s financial status, academic achievement, and desire to practice in rural or underserved areas upon graduation. Since 2003, CMS EF has provided $319,500 in scholarships. CMS EF also supports education programs such as the Colorado State Science and Engineering Fair and the Education Program at the CMS annual meeting.

As W. Gerald Rainer, MD, CMS EF, Board Chair, explains, “The CMS EF Board appreciates the generous donations and support from CMS members who make our scholarships possible.” Dr. Rainer is a Distinguished Clinical Professor of Surgery at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.

Arezoo Bahramirad
“I completed my undergraduate degree in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and then I moved to Charlotte, N.C., and got a Master’s degree in general Mathematics. After one year of Biostatistics training at Anschutz Medical Campus and two years of volunteering at The Medical Center of Aurora I got accepted to University of Colorado School of Medicine where I plan to grow into a knowledgeable and compassionate doctor. My goal is not only to serve the people in my community, but also contribute to the science and practice of medicine through innovative ideas and research.”

Kenny Rodriguez
“I was born in Caracas, Venezuela, where my family lived until we immigrated to Colorado in 1995.  Since that time I have lived in Aurora, in the shadow of the now Anschutz Medical Center.  In fact I graduated from Aurora Central High School just blocks from the campus.  I currently still live in Aurora along with my wife, our son, and newborn daughter. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to begin medical school this year as it did not seem a possibility for me as an immigrant to the U.S.  I developed my passion for the medical field while working as a volunteer for two years following high school in Long Beach, Calif., with underprivileged families.  Although I had lived with very limited access to medical care in my youth, it was during this time that I learned that I could really help others that were in need. This led me to the unorthodox path I followed to medical school.  I attended Brigham Young University-Idaho where I graduated cum laude two years later with an Associates of Science in Nursing and later received a Bachelor of Science along with completing prerequisites for medical school.  After becoming a registered nurse I was able to return to Colorado and work on my goal to help the underserved communities.  I have been working at Rocky Mountain Youth Clinic as a pediatric nurse throughout the Denver Metro area where we focus on providing care to families with Medicaid or no insurance.  I hope to continue on this course through medical school and continue to focus on the underserved pediatric community.”