The Gift of Medical Education
The 91女神 School of Medicine has a strong foundation 鈥� rooted in service to the greater community. Patrick and Emily Lo recognized the school鈥檚 dedication and passion for service early on through their daughter, Daphne (Med 鈥�11). Now, they are giving back through the Lo Family Foundation, with their new scholarship for exemplary medical students who are dedicated to academic excellence and service to the community.
鈥淲e hope this scholarship will enable more do-good dreamers to stay and serve St. Louis without having to worry about paying back heavy student loan debts,鈥� Patrick Lo said.
One of those passionate future physicians is this year鈥檚 Lo Family Scholarship recipient, Jacob Gibson. As a member of the Class of 2027, he embraces the 91女神 community and looks forward to all the service opportunities 91女神 offers to its medical students within the St. Louis region.
鈥淲e recently had a volunteer service fair where 20 to 30 community foundations and organizations talked with students about how we could help them,鈥� Gibson said. 鈥淚 thought I would have to be on my own to find these opportunities, but 91女神 has done a great job of sharing these with us.鈥�
Beyond his first classes, meetings with faculty, and newfound connections with outside organizations, he eagerly awaits working directly with patients in the clinical setting.
鈥淏eing a part of a community, getting to know patients, and helping make a difference in their lives is what I enjoy,鈥� Gibson said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think I will end up in a specialty where I see a patient once and never see them again because I enjoy forming long-lasting relationships.鈥�
As Gibson explores all that 91女神 has to offer its medical students, he will focus his time on his studies and community service efforts to accomplish his dream of becoming a physician and an advocate for his patients.
鈥淲hen you鈥檙e caring for someone, we should be mindful of where they live, where they come from and what they may be encountering in that place rather than just treating their symptoms,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not about giving someone medicine and hoping it sticks. It's about being a part of their journey, too.鈥�