Why Give to NMF?

1 Advance excellence in medicine—and a new generation of physician leaders

Your gift to NMF helps build a new generation of physician leaders, who will bring excellence to all areas of medicine and public health.

This is not just a hope: it is a promise. For more than 75 years, NMF has built generations of leaders whose impact is felt today, in medical practice, in medical education, and in their lasting contributions to hospitals and other health care institutions.

  • NMF has a strong track record of identifying leaders early in their careers. We have provided financial support and mentoring to more than 32,000 students who have gone on to serve in all areas of medicine and public health.
  • NMF alumni are:
    • leaders in primary care and community health center practices across the nation;
    • distinguished researchers in major academic medicine centers;
    • leaders in government (two served as Surgeon General);
    • leaders in philanthropy (including the CEOs of some of the largest healthcare foundations in the U.S.); and
    • leaders and innovators in the corporate sector (including CEOs of leading multi-state health care organizations).
    • presidents and deans in medical colleges and professional schools, who are shaping the future of medical education and the diversity of the physician workforce for generations to come; and
    • officers in major health care corporations, who are making diversity and inclusion a foundation of creative business practice, nationwide.

2 Build a more equitable health care system—to deliver better care for  chronically underserved communities

Almost everyone recognizes the critical need to make health care more accessible—and many of us are working on the ground to make that happen. Your gift to NMF will help us meet that goal: NMF supports underrepresented medical students who are statistically more likely than others to practice in underserved communities, and to speak for those who do not have a voice in our health care system.

  • Your gift to NMF will help fund scholarships and other opportunities for medical students who are committed to “giving back” to their communities.
  • This will have an impact on our health care system now and in the years to come. Research shows that physicians of color have an outsized role in providing care to underserved populations—including BIPOC and non-English speaking patients. For example, low income patients are one-and-a-half to two-times times more likely to be cared for by Black, Hispanic and Asian physicians.
  • Many of NMF’s leadership and service-learning programs are designed for students who are preparing to practice in areas of greatest need—in community health centers, safety-net hospitals and other health care settings that serve those with the greatest need.
  • Your gift will have an immediate impact in strengthening NMF’s scholarship and career mentoring programs for students who are committed to practicing in underserved communities. As these students graduate, they will realize their own dreams of giving back to their communities. And the impact of your gift will continue to grow.