Three Medical Students Honored with 2024 MICA Scholarship Awards

Three medical students from the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix received scholarships from the Mutual Insurance Company of Arizona (MICA) Medical Foundation Board of Trustees.

The previous three years of medical school have led Weston Myers, Yuxuan Wu and Kendall Schwartz to this moment. Now, in their fourth year, these students are preparing for residency interviews.

Before each student was aware they had won the scholarship, they received an email asking them to meet with Fred Wondisford, MD, MS, MBA, dean of the U of A College of Medicine – Phoenix. Dean Wondisford was delighted to deliver the surprising news as he met with each student.

Myers received the Robert F. Crawford, MD, Scholastic Achievement Award.

“I feel incredibly surprised, humbled and grateful for this award,” Myers said. “Awards and scholarships like these are important as they reflect and promote a culture of academic excellence.”

Myers views medicine as the perfect blend of science, critical thinking and hands-on learning. As he continues sharpening these attributes, he said he hopes to make medicine the perfect career for him.

“Within the next year, I plan to continue to work hard and finish the academic year strong,” Myers said. “I am looking forward to the success of our class in Match Day and hope to savor the joys of medical school in solidarity with my classmates before starting intern year.”

Wu and Schwartz both received the MICA Medical Foundation Scholastic Award for their impressive academic achievements.

Upon receiving the MICA award, Wu said he felt exhilarated that his efforts were recognized and rewarded. He feels motivated to continue learning and remaining intellectually curious.

“Before coming into the dean’s office, I felt apprehensive as I was pondering all of the possibilities, both good and bad, that would lead me to be called,” Wu said. “After I was presented the award and shook hands with Dean Wondisford, I felt relieved.”

Growing up, Wu witnessed his mother’s work as a physician and observed her practicing medicine and interacting with patients. Wu’s passion for medicine further grew when he helped his family with caregiving for his grandmother who’d had a stroke.

“My experience with taking care of my grandmother and seeing her fighting against her illness and disabilities motivated me to become a neurologist, so that I can help those like her in optimizing their function and quality of life,” Wu said.

Schwartz noted that scholarships like these make a difference for medical students’ lives — given the amount of time and money they invested in earning the degree.

“I’m currently in the middle of my sub-internships and working on my residency applications, and the expenses are quite daunting,” Schwartz said. “When organizations like MICA contribute toward helping us fund achieving our goals, it is extremely impactful.”

Schwartz is currently applying to orthopaedic surgery residencies with the hope of successfully matching and pursuing a career that allows her to help people while doing what she loves.

“I’m very much looking forward to having an active role in patient care and getting people back to doing the things they enjoy, which is what I think is one of the most rewarding aspects of the specialty,” Schwartz said.