Scholarship FAQs

Kaiser Permanente is a non-profit, prepaid, group practice health maintenance organization (HMO), founded in 1945. The Kaiser Permanente Southern California Region has more than 3.1 million members. It includes 3,600 physicians in the Southern California Permanente Medical Group (SCPMG) and 47,300 Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals and medical group employees. The Region is served by 11 major medical centers.

The scholarship is named after our recently retired SCPMG Medical Director, Oliver Goldsmith, M.D. who contributed to the promotion and advancement of Culturally Responsive Care in our medical group through his personal involvement in effecting change in the system. Dr. Goldsmith’s leadership and support was instrumental in the development of the Culturally Responsive Care (CRC) Initiative throughout our Medical Centers in Southern California.

There are eleven scholarships, each worth $5,000. Scholarship awards will be processed through the school’s Financial Aid office.

Applicants must be enrolled in an accredited U.S. medical/osteopathic school and:

• Be a student in good standing entering your third or fourth year of medical school
• Demonstrate a commitment to the advancement of culturally and/or linguistically responsive care or diversity through community service work, clinical volunteering, or applicable research
• Intend to practice medicine in Southern California
• Able to participate in a mentoring relationship with a Southern California Kaiser Permanente physician, starting in the Fall of 2023
• Able to participate in a 4 – 6 week clerkship at a Kaiser Permanente facility in Southern California between July 2023 and August 2024

If you are selected as a final candidate, you will be invited to interview. Interview dates to be determined.

Yes. The clerkship/elective must be completed in a Southern California, Kaiser Permanente medical facility.  If you are awarded the scholarship we can assist with arranging the rotation at one of our facilities.

We encourage all ethnic/racial groups to apply.

Each medical/osteopathic school establishes its own criteria for good academic standing.  Applicant must submit a letter from their school stating that they are in good standing and not on any type of academic probation.

Yes, we are asking that all applicants plan to continue their medical career in Southern California, during their residency and medical practice thereafter.

One letter should be from your professor/clinician.  The other letter may be from a clinical advisor, dean, or other relevant person familiar with your community involvement, leadership responsibilities, clinical volunteering, or research that demonstrates your commitment or accomplishments in diversity/culturally responsive care.

School transcripts and academic letters can be sent directly to the Scholarship Committee from the medical school. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted.  Electronic mail can be sent to socal.residency@kp.org or Vanessa.X.Hernandez@kp.org

All documents are due end of business day: January 13, 2023. Letters can be emailed to either emails listed above. All letters must have the signature of the letter writer.

No. A non-relative, who is familiar with your work, may write the letter of recommendation. The letter can also be written by a Kaiser Permanente physician or employee.

No. We require that all applications to be submitted on-line through the residency website to ensure proof of submission. Applications sent by Kaiser Permanente inter-office mail or postal service will not be considered.

No. We are looking for students with various residency and practice interests.

No, we would only like to know if you are involved or plan to be involved at this level.

In order to maintain a fair and equitable process, we request that you do not send photos at this time.  Any photos received during the application process will be discarded and not given to the Scholarship Evaluation Committee.

Applicants will be notified by March.