From the Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers, Nov. 7, 2017: The Dr. Edward Leitão Memorial Scholarship Fund is accepting applications for scholarships from Portuguese-American medical students and physicians in training, following the fund’s goal of filling the need among the community for Portuguese-speaking medical professionals. This is the second year the scholarships are being offered, this time up to two scholarships of $2,000 each. The deadline to submit an application is 5 p.m. Dec 15.

To be considered for these scholarships, applicants must submit a cover letter describing their language and cultural connections to the Portuguese-American community and how they envision making a difference in this community once they become doctors. Students are also required to submit undergraduate and medical school GPAs with transcripts; MCAT and USMLE score reports as applicable; and two letters of recommendation from medical school or residency faculty.

“It was a true pleasure to be able to support medical students Tracey DaFonte and Bryan Rego last year, and we can’t wait to offer these two new scholarships to deserving candidates this year,” said Dr. Helena Santos Martins, a member of the Fund Committee. “We hope to keep growing this fund and to be able to support many more Portuguese-American medical students, who have an increasingly important role to play in our communities.”

The fund was created in 2015 in the name of a much-loved and highly respected physician who died away after an eight-year struggle with cancer. Leitão served at the Cambridge Health Alliance for several decades as an internist and medical director, caring for many patients in the Portuguese-speaking community of the Cambridge area. The fund is managed by the Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers.

The Advisory Committee plans to announce the scholarship recipients by the end of December and present the scholarships at a benefit event being planned for the end of January.

Applications can be submitted to: Ms. Lucinda Morais, MAPS Administrative Manager, at [email protected] or via regular mail to: Dr. Edward Leitão Memorial Scholarship Fund c/o Ms. Lucinda Morais, Administrative Manager, MAPS 1046 Cambridge St., Cambridge, MA 02139.