A Record-Breaking Year for Tomorrow’s Physicians
2024-25 Leadership Development Institute Cohort
For 75 years, the AMA Foundation has invested in the future of medicine by lifting up physicians and medical students who are improving our nation’s health. This past year, two of the AMA Foundation’s signature programs—the Physicians of Tomorrow Scholarship Program and the Leadership Development Institute—reached milestones that reflect not just organizational growth, but a deepening commitment from donors, partners, and the medical community to build a stronger health care system for everyone.
The numbers tell a powerful story. And behind every one of them is a physician leader who will one day serve a community that needs them.
Physicians of Tomorrow: The Largest Scholarship Investment in Program History
Since 1950, the AMA Foundation has helped medical students overcome financial barriers so they can focus on what matters most: their education, clinical training, and commitment to their patients and communities. Through the Physicians of Tomorrow program and donor support, more than $62 million in scholarship aid has been awarded to future physicians across the country.
In 2025, that commitment reached its highest point to date. The AMA Foundation disbursed $420,000, a 68% increase over the past five years. With multiple categories and hundreds of applications each year, the demand for these resources is clear and growing.
The upward trajectory has been steady and deliberate. From $250,000 in 2020 to $268,000 in 2021, the program gained significant momentum the following year with $345,000 in awards. Even through a slight dip in 2023, funding recovered and climbed, reaching $345,000 again in 2024 before breaking through to this past year’s record high.
This growth is a direct reflection of the generosity of donors who understand that reducing barriers for medical students today produces well-prepared, community-minded physicians of tomorrow. Each scholarship recipient is selected not only for academic excellence but for demonstrated leadership and dedication to improving health outcomes and serving patients with the highest standards of care.
Leadership Development Institute: The Largest Cohort Since the Program’s Launch
Established in 2018, the Leadership Development Institute helps prepare exceptional medical students to become ethical, community-focused physician changemakers. Through innovative programming, educational webinars, retreats, and mentorship, participants gain the tools to influence health policy, lead patient-centered initiatives, and strengthen organized medicine.
In Fiscal Year 2025 (July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025), the LDI enrolled 15 students, the largest cohort in its history. A 50% percent increase over the program’s average of approximately 10 participants per year represents a meaningful expansion in the AMA Foundation’s ability to support the next generation of physicians.
The LDI class engaged in seven webinars, building skills and connections that will carry them through their careers. At an average investment of $7,500 per student, the program delivers an outsized return, not just for the participants, but for the patients and communities they will serve as leaders in the field.
For context, enrollment had remained relatively stable at around 10 students per year since 2018. The jump to 15 in 2025 signals both increased interest from students and increased capacity to meet that interest head-on.
“Watching these programs reach record levels in the same year is incredibly meaningful. Every scholarship we award and every student who joins the Leadership Development Institute represents a future doctor who will go on to strengthen their community. This past year proved that when donors, partners, and physicians all lean in together, the impact multiplies.”
What This Means for the Future of Medicine
When the AMA Foundation invests in a medical student’s education and leadership development, the return multiplies. It shows up in a community that gains a new doctor. It shows up in clinics and hospitals where physician leaders advocate for better patient care. It shows up in the resilience of a health care system that depends on well-supported, well-educated, and inspired professionals.
These record-breaking numbers are not just data points—they are a signal that the physician community, and the donors and partners who support it, are rising to meet the challenges and opportunities ahead.
The AMA Foundation’s 2025 Annual Report details the full scope of the past year’s impact, from disaster recovery grants and community health investments to the stories of physicians giving back and paying it forward.
Read the full Annual Report to see how the AMA Foundation is honoring its history and investing in the future: amafoundation.org/annual-reports