Opening Doors: Medical School Scholarships Make a Difference
For many talented students from underrepresented backgrounds who dream of becoming a physician, the journey is often blocked by financial barriers. At the WSMA Foundation, we believe that our physician population should mirror the communities we serve, which is why we created the WSMA Foundation Scholarship and Diversity Advancement Fund.
Our goal with this fund is to offer WSMA Foundation Future Physician Scholarships for aspiring doctors from all walks of life, opening doors and empowering them to step onto the path of medicine. We aim to do this by initially raising $1.5 million to award the first scholarship in 2026. As we continue to grow the endowment, in time, we will be able to award more scholarships.
We are committed to investing in the future of medicine and shaping a more inclusive, effective, and compassionate house of medicine. Your gift today is a legacy that will change lives well into the future.
You’re Invited: The Future Physician Scholarship Fundraising Gala
The WSMA and the WSMA Foundation cordially invite you to attend its Future Physician Scholarship Fundraising Gala Banquet.
Join us as we inaugurate WSMA’s incoming president, Matt Hollon, MD; honor Rod Trytko, MD, for his years of service on the AMA Delegation; introduce the Foundation’s first Future Physician Scholarship recipient, Isabela Lydston; and fundraise for the Scholarship and Diversity Advancement Fund.
There will be dinner and music provided by Imagine Jazz.
The auction and paddle raise will benefit the WSMA Foundation’s long-term vision to fund scholarships for medical students from backgrounds underrepresented in medicine at all three Washington medical schools.
When: Sept. 26, 2026, 6-8 p.m.
Cost: $125
Location: The Historic Davenport Hotel, 10 S Post Street, Spokane, WA 99201
Can’t make it? Make a donation at foundation.wsma.org.
Our First Future Physician Scholarship Recipient Is…
The future of medicine in Washington just got a little brighter! 
The WSMA Foundation for Health Care Improvement is proud to announce Isabela Lydston as the very first recipient of its Future Physician Scholarship—a four-year award that will help support her education at the Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine.
A first-generation medical student from Fall City, Isabela was selected for her resilience, financial need, and commitment to practicing medicine in Washington. Her journey has already been shaped by a passion for serving others. As a volunteer health scholar, she often bridged language gaps by translating for Spanish-speaking patients, an experience that reinforced her belief that compassionate, culturally responsive care can make a lasting difference.
Since then, Isabela has worked as a certified nursing assistant, earned a graduate degree in public health, and conducted research on the social factors that influence health outcomes. She hopes to build a career that combines clinical care with a broader understanding of the communities patients call home.
The scholarship—made possible through the generosity of physicians and supporters across Washington—provides $40,000 per year for four years and marks the first major milestone of the WSMA Foundation’s Scholarship and Diversity Advancement Endowment. The Foundation’s long-term vision is to fund scholarships at all three Washington medical schools while providing mentorship and professional development opportunities for future physicians.
Congratulations, Isabela! We can’t wait to see the impact you’ll make on patients and communities across Washington. 