Nicholas Giacalone, a fourth-year Vanderbilt University School of Medicine student, has received a Physicians of Tomorrow award from the American Medical Association (AMA) Foundation.
As part of the award, Giacalone will receive a $10,000 scholarship to help defray the cost of his medical education.
The award is presented to students all over the country who demonstrate significant accomplishments in academics and community service. The 18 recipients this year were each nominated by their medical schools.
The AMA Foundation has awarded more than $61 million in scholarships to medical students since 1950.
Giacalone said he learned about the award just before leaving town for a clinical training rotation at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.
“I was both surprised and honored to receive such an award from the AMA. I could not have done it without the help and guidance of mentors like Scott Rodgers (M.D., associate dean for Student Affairs) and Amy Fleming (M.D., assistant professor). Each wrote letters of support for me,” he said.
Rodgers said Giacalone has earned the respect and admiration of his peers and faculty.
“Nick is an extraordinary student who combines excellence in the classroom with true ability in the clinical setting,” Rodgers said.
Giacalone said he plans to pursue Radiation Oncology when he completes medical school at Vanderbilt.
