LOAN APPLICATIONS FOR 2026 WILL BE ACCEPTED
BEGINNING FEBRUARY 1, 2026
DUE DATE: APRIL 30, 2026
The Saginaw County Medical Society (SCMS) Foundation was established in 1968 and was originally funded through physician donations from earnings related to educational and charitable work. Today, it continues to rely on generous donations to sustain and expand its programs.
The SCMS Foundation provides low-interest loans to medical students with ties to the Saginaw area. Loan amounts have historically ranged from $5,000 to $10,000 per year, with some students receiving funding in multiple years. The maximum total loan available during medical school is $20,000 per student.
The terms of these loans are generous. No interest is charged while the student is enrolled in medical school. During residency, simple interest is applied at a rate of 4% per year. Upon completion of residency, the interest rate increases to 8% per year.
The Foundation also offers a loan forgiveness program. If a loan recipient returns to Saginaw to practice medicine following residency and maintains dues-paying membership in the SCMS, 25% of the outstanding principal and any accrued interest will be forgiven at the end of each year of practice in Saginaw County, up to a maximum of $5,000 per year.
The Foundation Board typically considers applicants who have completed at least their first year of medical school. Applications are evaluated based on several factors, including:
* Strength of connection to the Saginaw area
* Financial need
* Scholastic performance
* Community service and extracurricular involvement
The primary goal of the Foundation’s loan program is to support and encourage medical students to return to Saginaw to practice medicine.
To apply, please complete the application (download below) and submit, along with all required documentation and signatures, to the SCMS Foundation by April 30, 2026. The Foundation Board will review all applications and notify applicants of its decisions, typically by the fourth week of May.
Only applicants enrolled in a United States medical school will be considered.
SCMS Foundation officers are:
- President - Iris A. Marteja Manlapit MD
- Vice President/Secretary - Steven J. Vance MD
- Treasurer - Sarosh Anwar MD
- Trustee - Matthew D. Deibel MD
- Trustee - Thomas E. Damuth MD
- Trustee - Christopher J. Allen MD
- Trustee - Mohammad Yahya Khan MD
If any SCMS member knows of a medical student in need (with an interest in the Saginaw area), please encourage him or her to apply. Deadline for applications is April 30, 2026.
QUESTIONS? Contact Joan Cramer at jmcramer@saginawcountyms.com