Application for Joseph and Mary Caputo Scholarship
The Joseph and Mary Caputo Scholarship Award is designed to support Penn State College of Medicine students who show promise as future physicians who will focus on delivery of humanistic care. Joseph V. Caputo, Sr., lived in Dover, Delaware and died from Alzheimer’s Disease in 1996 at the age of 80. Mary, his wife of forty-six years, cared for him with love, dedication, and fortitude during the ten long years of his illness. Together, they were true examples of dignity and devotion at a time of great personal and family difficulty. The effect of dementia and other chronic diseases is profound for both patients and caregivers, as well as family and friends. Compassion, effective communication, and dedication are vital for patients and care givers. With this in mind, Joe and Mary’s children – Rosemarie, Janet, Joe, Greg, and Karen – created the fund that supports this award.
The Doctors Kienle Center for Humanistic Medicine at Penn State Hershey was established to enhance treatment that is both compassionate and technically excellent, emphasizing each patient’s individual needs. Out of the Center grew a mission to develop and support people, projects, and programs that promote respect, dignity, equity, and compassion in health care settings. Given the like-minded intentions of the Caputo Scholarship Fund organizers and the aims of the Kienle Center, the Kienle Center manages the oversight of this award, including the selection of awardees and the distribution of funds supporting the awards.
This is a needs-based scholarship. Consideration for the Joseph and Mary Caputo Scholarship Award will be given to full-time Class of 2024 medical students in good standing who have a demonstrated commitment to a humanistic approach and who experience exceptional financial need. Recipients of the award are selected by a Kienle Center-appointed committee.
One scholarship of $4500 is awarded each year and is offered in accordance with and in conformation to existing Penn State University scholarship policy.
To apply for consideration, third-year College of Medicine MD students must submit:
- A 500-word essay that demonstrates their interest in humanistic care; see examples below.
- A statement of support from a Penn State faculty or staff member
- Resume or CV of the student
Please submit all application materials listed above as one pdf named with student’s last name in an email with subject heading “Caputo Application” to Aleax Olivera, aolivera@pennstatehealth.psu.edu by May 30, 2023. Late applications will not be accepted.
The humanitarian healthcare provider consistently:
- Demonstrates compassionate caring and concern for her/his patients, fellow healthcare workers, and community
- Demonstrates cultural sensitivity with patients and family members of diverse backgrounds
- Demonstrates empathetic awareness of the patient’s experience of illness
- Practices effective communication and listening skills
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