Chung-wen Shih Scholarship | Future Medical School Students

The Chung-wen Shih Scholarship is intended to support students with demonstrated interest in integrating traditional Chinese Medical Practices or integrative medical practice with Western Medical Practices. The scholarship aims to promote cultural exchange between the East and West among GW students. 

In AY26-27, up to 3 awards will be made available to students who are current or future medical school students. Selected students will each receive between $3,000 to $5,000 per award.

Eligibility & Requirements

The scholarship is available to current GW students with one of the following declared Majors or Minors. Students in related fields may be considered:

 In addition to meeting the field of study requirements, applicants must also meet the below criteria:

• Students must be in good academic standing.
• The research project must take place in Academic Year 2026-2027.
• The content of the proposed project will be substantive in scope and educational value with well-defined objectives and intended outcomes. It also must be approved and supported by a faculty mentor at GW.

How to Apply

Eligible students are encouraged to submit their application materials for review by the scholarship committee. Please review the required materials below, as well as the reporting requirements for all prospective scholarship recipients.

Required Materials

• Curriculum Vitae
• Unofficial transcripts
• Personal statement describing your interest in East-West cultural exchange, experiences in traditional Chinese or integrative medicine and health practices culture, and any relevant travel, foreign language or academic studies that support these experiences or interests. It should also clearly state your intention to pursue a career in medicine. (maximum of 4 pages, double spaced)
• Proposal with a detailed description of your project that includes objectives and intent of the experience, as well as its content, structure, learning objectives, and timeline
• Provide a budget indicating how you intend to use the funding throughout the project
• Provide a letter of support from your project mentor – to include his/her intent to provide guidance and support through the duration of the project

Selection Process & Criteria

The selection committee will be composed of representatives from Columbian College of Arts & Sciences and other academic, research and clinical units, including faculty, administrators and academic advising staff.

Applications will be reviewed and scored based on the following:

• Academic Excellence
• Relevance of project to the mission of Chung-wen Shih Scholarship. Project on Chinese traditional medicine and health practice will be given priority consideration.
• Educational and cross-cultual value of the proposed project
• Quality and organization of the proposed project (i.e. potential to achieve goals and objectives).
• Quality of the infrastructure and support by the mentor/host organization.
• Potential for Success – will take into account factors such as interpersonal skills, professionalism, and leadership.

Reporting Requirements

Scholarship recipients will be required to share the results of their work through the following reporting requirements:

• A reflection paper describing the scholar’s project, experience, and any key results and takeaways for the project
• Make an in-person presentation to the scholarship joint committee and invited guests during a luncheon, on *May 7 or May 10, 2027 * (Hold the dates)
• Photographs (3 to 5 is acceptable) and a short video taken from your research project site, talking about your personal experience and key reflections on the importance of East-West cultural exchange
• A 1-2 minute video addressed to the Shih Scholarship Committee expressing
  appreciation for their contribution.
• All funded students must propose and present at the GW Research Showcase during the spring semester.