Tiana Nicole Williams Scholars

The Office of Generalist Programs provides support to to our medical student service programs and organizations with a focus on primary care medicine. We work with these programs to support and promote the primary care medical careers in our region.

As the Brody School of Medicine’s Class of 2006 was preparing to begin their medical studies, excitement and anticipation were in the air. They were making plans to begin their medical school journey and meeting their fellow classmates. Unknown to them, a tragedy had occurred that would spark a call to action.

On a hot August morning in 2002, seventy-two members of the Class of 2006 gathered together at orientation and heard about the senseless death of their seventy-third classmate, Tiana Nicole Williams. Williams, a bright, young, African American woman full of dreams of becoming a doctor, was killed on July 7, 2002, at the hands of her domestic partner one month before beginning medical school.

Like Williams, millions of women are abused by husbands and boyfriends each year, and many more live in constant fear and danger. According to the organization Family Violence Prevention, on average, more than three women are murdered by their husbands or boyfriends in the United States daily. Women are much more likely than men to be killed by an intimate partner.

To address and prevent domestic violence, the Class of 2006 worked over the four years of medical school to create an endowment in memory of Williams. The endowment offers funding each year for a student project focusing on domestic violence.

Who is eligible to apply? All full-time medical students who have completed at least one semester of school and who have not yet begun his/her final semester are encouraged to apply. Student organizations can also apply. What are the project requirements? Each project should be at least 200 service hours. Preference will be given to projects that serve this geographical area. The recipient must submit a brief report of the project after its completion to the advisor committee by the end of the calendar year of which the money was awarded. Do I need a mentor? A faculty mentor will need to be chosen by the applicant to oversee the project’s progress and give guidance. What is the amount of the award? The dollar amount awarded to fund the project fluctuates from year to year depending on stock market conditions, but is usually $1,000 to $1,500. The Application Deadline for the 2022 Scholars is 5:00PM, April 15, 2022. Apply today! 2022 Tiana Nicole Williams Scholars Application For additional questions please contact Dr. Amy Howell, downeastdiabetology@gmail.com

The Generalist Physician Program is committed to fostering student interest in primary care medicine; developing a community-responsive physician workforce; and increasing the number of medical students entering primary care careers.