Jacob Saunders Receives Jacque Chadwick, MD, Founders Scholarship Award

In 2018, the Arizona Medical Association Foundation (ArMA) created the Jacque Chadwick, MD, Founders Scholarship to honor Dr. Chadwick’s contributions in building the first medical school in Phoenix and her dedication as a physician in Arizona.

This year, the recipient of the scholarship is Jacob Saunders, a rising second-year medical student at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix. 

Born at Thunderbird Hospital in Glendale, Arizona, Saunders grew up living in the Grand Canyon state before his family moved to Ohio when he was 10 years old for his father’s residency as an ER physician. Saunders later moved back to Arizona and finished high school.

Between growing up witnessing his father’s journey through medical school at a young age to attending a psychology class in high school, Saunders’s fascination with medicine quickly blossomed.

“It wasn’t until I got further into my psychology class that I realized that there are fields of medicine where I can combine working medicine with psychology,” Saunders said. 

After graduating high school, Saunders did a two-year mission trip in Santiago, Chile. He then attended Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, where he earned degrees in neuroscience and Spanish studies.

“I developed my ability to speak Spanish and grew to know the culture in Santiago, and I realized upon coming back to the United States that I didn’t want to lose that ability,” Saunders said. “That’s what prompted me to study both neuroscience and Spanish studies. I recognized that I needed to develop and become a better tool to continue helping people in that community.”

For Saunders, he said that the scholarship represents current and former physicians in the community supporting new and upcoming physicians.

“I think about many of the mentors and advisors that I see in the field around me that I admire so much having been in my shoes at some point,” Saunders said. “This is a boost of confidence in me and an acknowledgement.”

Saunders also said his biggest supporters include his wife, his parents, his sister, brother-in-law, and his faith in God. They all have been able to help him pursue opportunities where he can most assist people’s needs.

ArMA, through its Foundation, champions and supports the U of A College of Medicine – Phoenix’s efforts to educate and train the state’s next generation of physicians through the Jacque Chadwick, MD, Founders Scholarship Fund.

The namesake, Dr. Chadwick, served as the first female president of ArMA in 1992 and was a former vice dean of the college. She was also the first university official in Phoenix for the College of Medicine. Through her dedication to organized medicine and patient care, Dr. Chadwick created an innovative legacy within ArMA.

Shelby Job, director of ArMA’s Communications and Marketing department, said the Jacque Chadwick, MD, Founders Scholarship is both a collaboration dedicated to the community’s future and a way to honor a remarkable physician. 

“The Arizona Medical Association recognizes the importance of bolstering medical education in Arizona, especially as the state faces dire shortages in health care staffing,” Job said. “We’re proud to honor Dr. Chadwick’s impact on organized medicine and support physicians-in-training as they shepherd a bright future for medicine.”