Issue link: http://kusm-wichita.uberflip.com/i/1157351
The University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita has received a gift of $1 million to establish a scholarship for medical students. The Virendra C. Patel, M.D., and Urvashi V. Patel Scholarship, through KU Endowment, will give preference to KUSM-W students who are from or are interested in practicing in southeast Kansas. It will be awarded beginning in summer 2019. The Patel family made the gift in recognition of the long history that their family has with medicine in southeast Kansas. "We are very thankful for the generous support of Dr. and Mrs. Patel in endowing their scholarship at our medical school," said Garold Minns, M.D., KUSM-W dean. "Given the cost of medical education, scholarship support is very critical for our students, especially those interested in primary care or rural medicine. Dr. Patel has been a steadfast health care provider in southeast Kansas, and we believe the Patel scholarship will help us continue to provide future generations of physicians for the region and our state." Born in India, the Patels immigrated to the United States for Dr. Patel's orthopaedic surgery residency at SUNY Downstate in Brooklyn, New York, before moving his young family to Independence, Kansas, to establish an orthopaedic surgery practice. With two young daughters, Archita and Neepa, already with them and a son, Om, born shortly thereafter, the Patels recognized the benefits of bringing up a family in a small town with good schools and a strong sense of community. "Both Independence and Kansas are a part of our family's identity. We formed hundreds of friendships 24 Virendra and Urvashi Patel give to KU School of Medicine-Wichita $1 Million