(CHICAGO) - In an effort to promote diversity and help with the rapidly rising cost of medical education, the American Medical Association (AMA) Foundation has presented 12 outstanding medical students from across the country with a $10,000 Minority Scholars Award.

The awards recognize scholastic achievement and promise for the future among first or second-year medical students in groups defined as "historically underrepresented" in the medical profession. Less than seven percent of U.S. physicians fall within these groups, which include African American/Black, American Indian, Native Hawaiian, Alaska Native and Hispanic/Latino.

"The AMA Foundation takes pride in its association with these exceptional medical students," said Barbara Rockett, MD, AMA Foundation President. "Their outstanding academic achievements as well as a variety of activities in their communities speak to their commitment to make a difference in the health of minority populations and the medical profession."
As the philanthropic arm of the American Medical Association, the AMA Foundation has made it a priority to help medical students handle the rising cost of their education. On average, future physicians graduate approximately $130,000 in debt, and in many cases the debt load is much higher.

Since its founding in 1950, the AMA Foundation has contributed more than $90 million in educational scholarships, research initiatives and public health grants.

The Minority Scholars Awards are given in collaboration with the AMA Minority Affairs Consortium, with support from Pfizer Inc.

Recipients of the awards are:

* Keri Allen-University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry
* Elizabeth Alm-University of Minnesota Medical School, Twin Cities
* La Shawna-Clark University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine
* Jose Figueroa-Harvard Medical School
* Nevine Hanna-David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
* Marcus Iwane-John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii
* Marcus Jennings-University of Tennessee College of Medicine
* Sarah Lewis-Saint Louis University School of Medicine
* Rigoberto Ramirez-University of Kansas School of Medicine
* Martina Sanders-Spight Yale University School of Medicine
* April Singleton-Creighton University School of Medicine
* Justin Taylor-University of New Mexico School of Medicine