The Spokane County Medical Society Foundation is excited to announce Myranda T. Nguyen and Patrick Hewes as the 2024 recipients of the Bill Sherman, MD, Memorial Scholarship.

The Spokane County Medical Society Foundation (SCMSF) is committed to medical education and as a demonstration of this commitment offers a scholarship. The scholarship covers the cost to attend leadership training at WSMA’s Annual Leadership Development Conference in Chelan, Washington, held on May 17-18, 2024, including travel to and from Chelan and hotel for two nights. WSMA covers the student meeting registration fee.

"I am deeply honored to receive the Bill Sherman, MD, Memorial Scholarship for 2024 from the Spokane County Medical Society Foundation,” stated Nguyen. “As a first-generation Vietnamese American, a former AmeriCorps member, and an AHEC Scholar, I believe physicians should extend their duty beyond clinic walls to serve communities. Attending the WSMA Leadership Development Conference will allow me to explore perspectives on achieving equitable, sustainable, and accessible healthcare models for underserved populations. I am committed to leveraging my experiences and education to address healthcare disparities and promote access to quality care. This scholarship is a catalyst for my aspirations, driving my dedication to making a meaningful impact in healthcare leadership."

“Growing up on a farm in northeast Washington and spending part of my adolescence homeless, I often thought my dream of becoming a doctor was just that, a dream,” described Hewes. “Yet, it is seemingly insurmountable challenges like these that are essential to overcome to create a better future for Washington, for the medical system, and for all people. Thank you to the Bill Sherman, MD, Memorial Scholarship and the Spokane County Medical Society Foundation for enabling me to further develop the skills to lead Washington to its dreams at the Washington State Medical Association (WSMA) Leadership Development Conference.”

Myranda summarized the conference, adding, “I had the opportunity to engage with so many brilliant physicians, residents, and fellow medical students who share a deep commitment to healthcare advocacy. Our conversations reinforced the importance of collaborative efforts in addressing physician well-being while combatting health inequities. I am inspired by the passion and dedication of my peers and look forward to continuing our collective advocacy efforts to create positive change in healthcare.”

Patrick added, “Medicine is a field of a thousand fields that is further complicated by bureaucracy and the intricacies of practicing medicine. This presents a difficult situation when medicine and especially the physician workforce faces new and ongoing challenges that require a unified front to approach. Having the opportunity to attend the WSMA conference through the SCMS Foundation’s Bill Sherman, MD, Memorial Scholarship, has shown me that these challenges are indeed surmountable. Working together, as physicians young and old, experienced and new, we can lead medicine to a brighter future for physicians, our teams, and our patients.”

This scholarship is for medical students and residents interested in developing their leadership skills. To be considered, applicants must be a current medical student or resident attending locally. Each applicant was required to provide a maximum of 250 words statement of interest, one letter of recommendation, and a statement of “Good Standing” from their current educational institution.

The Bill Sherman, MD, Memorial Scholarship Fund was created in honor of Bill Sherman, MD, who was a psychiatrist in Spokane and was passionately interested in medical education and health policy.  The first consideration of the award is for Washington State students who envision pursuing Primary Care in Spokane County.

Myranda T. Nguyen

University of Washington School of Medicine

MS1 |Spokane Foundation Site E-23

Patrick Hewes

University of Washington School of Medicine

MS1 | ACE Group Lead | UW Spokane