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Nursing · Medicine · Allied Health · Pre-Med
Arizona faces a serious healthcare workforce shortage — and funders know it. Hospitals, health systems, and state programs are actively investing in the next generation of nurses, doctors, and allied health professionals through scholarships, paid internships, and pipeline programs.
Arizona has one of the fastest-growing healthcare sectors in the country and a documented shortage of nurses and primary care physicians — especially in rural communities. That urgency translates into real scholarship funding: Banner Health, Dignity Health, and HonorHealth all run scholarship and internship programs for high schoolers and college students pursuing healthcare careers. The Arizona Nurses Foundation and Arizona Medical Association both fund awards for students who commit to practicing in Arizona. Tribal nations, through Indian Health Service pipeline programs, specifically fund Native students pursuing healthcare degrees. Pre-med students can access AHCCCS internships, UA's medical summer programs, and competitive research placements at the TGen and Arizona Cancer Center.
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Things worth knowing
Hospital system scholarships are underused — most students don't apply
Banner, Dignity, and HonorHealth each run scholarship programs tied to working in their system after graduation. These awards tend to get fewer applicants than national healthcare scholarships because students don't know they exist. They often come with paid externship placements during school.
Rural healthcare commitments unlock additional funding
The AHCCCS Rural Health Scholars program and federal NHSC scholarships pay full tuition — plus a living stipend — in exchange for practicing in underserved rural Arizona communities after graduation. If you're open to rural practice, this path eliminates debt entirely.
Volunteer hours in clinical settings count as leadership — document them
Unlike volunteer hours in unrelated fields, healthcare volunteer hours (hospital volunteering, free clinic shifts, EMT training) are leadership evidence in healthcare scholarship applications. The Arizona Health Education Center has structured volunteer programs that produce strong letters of recommendation.
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