Dr. Larry Barnes is the interim chancellor at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, as well as the chair of orthopedic surgery UAMS remembers receiving word he was going to medical school.
“When I got into medical school, obviously I was excited. But the exciting thing was the letter said, ‘You have been awarded the Banks Blackwell Scholarship,’ and he has paid for your tuition for medical school. Those literally were my first tears of joy. I cried like a baby. We had—my family had—very no significant money. It was a big deal for me to go to medical school. It’s going to be a very, very significant financial undertaking. And Dr. Blackwell paid for all four years of my medical school,” Barnes says.
Banks Blackwell of Pine Bluff did the same for nearly 20 other students.
“I went to see him that night. Afterwards, he said, ‘Two rules. I don’t want you to tell anybody about this until after I die. And if you can do this in the future for others, I hope you will.’”
Dr. Barnes says there is now a Blackwell-Barnes Scholarship at UAMS, and beginning this fall, there will be the UAMS Chancellor’s Scholars Program, allowing 40 Arkansas students enrolling at UAMS to have that same sort of sensation that Dr. Barnes had.
They’re going to receive full tuition and fees paid for the length of their program.
"So for medical school, that means four years of tuition, which means $150,000.”
Interim Chancellor Barnes says the scholarships are funded through the Chancellor’s Fund. Fifteen of the 40 scholarships will go to students enrolling in the College of Medicine, working to become physicians. The other 30 go to students throughout the colleges of Health Professions, Nursing, Pharmacy and Public Health.
“And what better way to put it to use than help Arkansas students coming further their training in the health care field, with a commitment to return to Arkansas and be a part of our workforce.”
Each of the students receiving the full tuition makes a commitment to work in medicine in Arkansas for a period of time after graduation, something Barnes says can help address health care gaps that exist in almost every county in the state.
“If you get three years of support, we expect you to return three years to Arkansas to do that, to pay back your loan by working in a health care facility in the state of Arkansas. That doesn’t mean that you have to—we’ll choose where you work. Just be somewhere in Arkansas doing what you’re trained to do.”
And that work in Arkansas doesn’t have to happen immediately after graduation. For example, students in medical school may take internships, residencies, and fellowships that last up to six years before they’re ready to begin their practice.
“But when they finish that last year of training, they’re expected to come back for four years in Arkansas. And we know that if that student finishes their training, comes back to Arkansas, starts working here, works here for four years, they’re going to love it and probably never leave.”
The development of the program kicked into high gear in the second half of last year, Dr. Barnes says. That meant students who had already applied received some really big news.
“This happened very quickly when I found this money. And it just so happened that that same week, the admissions committee for the medical school had ranked the top students in the class who would be getting letters offering them a position. And so they got the offer of admission. But also, ‘How would you like a free ride for four years?’”
Chancellor’s Scholars at UAMS are selected based on academic merit, evaluated through a holistic review of the applicant’s academic record.
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