Cook County to award $1 million in scholarships to healthcare students through Provident Scholarship Fund

Cook County is taking steps to help more students from underserved communities grow into healthcare professionals.

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle announced Wednesday that the county is awarding an additional $1 million in scholarships to local students pursuing health care careers through the Provident Scholarship Fund.

The program offers $20,000 scholarships to students in graduate-level health professional programs, including medical students, dental students, physician assistant students, nurse practitioner students, and behavioral health students. The fund also offers $10,000 scholarships to undergraduate students in nursing, behavioral health, surgical technology, respiratory therapy, radiology technician, and paramedic programs.

Since the fund was started in 2022, it has awarded $5 million in scholarships to nearly 300 students.

The scholarships go to students who live in and are dedicated to serving underrepresented communities in Cook County. Preckwinkle noted only about 5% of doctors in the U.S. are Black, and fewer than 7% are Latino.

"To create a healthcare system that delivers high-quality, culturally competent care to all, we must ensure that our workforce reflects the diversity of our communities. That means supporting students, especially those who may not have access to the same academic or economic opportunities as their peers as they pursue careers in medicine and health care," Preckwinkle said.

Applications for the scholarships will open on Thursday and end on April 19.