James S. Westra Memorial Endowment Fund

PURPOSE
To provide selected medical and dental students with clinical experiences in mission settings that will enable them to become familiar with the cultural, social and medical problems in developing countries while allowing them to serve the underserved. It is also expected that this experience will lead recipients to seek the Lord's will regarding lifetime involvement in medical missions.

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ELIGIBILITY
You must be:

1. A CMDA member (Join Now);
2. A third or fourth year medical student enrolled in a traditional four year program in an approved US medical school;
3. Able to demonstrate financial need to enable project participation.

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METHOD OF APPLICATION
Application deadlines are April 1, August 1 and December 1. The trip date must follow the deadline by at least 30 days to allow ample time for processing. A letter of reference from the applicant's pastor is required to complete the application*. Applications mailed in must be typewritten and addressed to:

James S. Westra Memorial Endowment Fund
CMDA
PO Box 7500
Bristol, TN 37621-7500

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AWARDS
Awards will be announced by E-mail one month after each deadline. The amount of the grant is for transportation and project-related expenses up to $500.

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CONDITIONS
Funds must be used for participation in a missionary medical preceptorship, clerkship, or similar experience of two weeks or more in duration arranged by the student for completion within twelve months from the date of award. 

 

Recipients are required to submit a typewritten report to CMDA within sixty days after completion of the overseas experience, including photographs if possible. The report should contain a summary of activities and an assessment of the value of the experience for the student. Both the report and photos will be kept on file here unless specified otherwise. The recipient is also asked to write a letter of appreciation to the donor. This should be included in the report so that it can be forwarded to the donor.

 

Due to limited funding, this program is not intended to duplicate other award programs where funding has been given. Where partial funding has been provided from other sources, our award would be limited to the amount necessary to meet (but not exceed) full travel and project-related expenses. If full funding has been provided by other organizations, churches, mission board or foundation awards, applicants are requested to notify the Christian Medical & Dental Associations immediately, withdrawing their application in order that other applicants may be funded.

 

To apply online, please go here. 
*Applicant must ask their pastor to submit a letter of reference to the executive assistant via email, fax or postal mail. The application will not be considered until the reference is received.

Debra Deyton, Executive Assistant
PO Box 7500, Bristol, TN 37621-7500
Phone: (423) 844-1000
Fax: (423) 844-1017
E-Mail: debra@cmda.org.