The Lancaster Medical Society Foundation, a foundation of Lancaster City & County Medical Society, is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2025 Foundation Scholarships. These students have earned numerous academic and leadership awards, and they have been involved in research and clinical experiences.
Sindhar, a student at the Pennsylvania State College of Medicine, is a graduate of Penn State-Berks. She shared she knew from a young age that she wanted to pursue a career in medicine so that she could become a compassionate advocate of patients like those she grew up around in rural India.
“Seva – – selfless service – – is a core principle of my Sikh faith” she shared. “It teaches that helping others is both a moral duty and a spiritual offering. This philosophy has shaped my commitment to serve, not only globally, but also within the communities that have shaped me here in the US.”
Fry, a Florida Southern College alum and a medical student at Pennsylvania State College of Medicine, shared that her journey toward medicine was fueled by witnessing health disparities both abroad and at home.
“During my global health work oversees, I cared for patients in communities where access to medical care was scarce, where language and cultural barriers often left individuals unseen and unheard” said Fry. “These experiences profoundly shaped my belief that health care is not just a service but a fundamental act of justice.”
Scott, a student at Duquesne University College of Medicine, is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University. She said that she knew she wanted to become a physician after becoming a patient.
“Several years ago, I became acutely ill requiring intense medical attention. After witnessing the compassion of doctors, nurses and hospital staff, I knew that I wanted to serve others as a physician” explained Scott.
“As the oldest child of two family physicians, I spent time observing the care my parents gave to their patients. Although this exposure was valuable, it was not until I found myself on the receiving end of competent and compassionate health care that I came to truly appreciate it.”
To is a University of Pennsylvania graduate and a current student at Sidney Kimmel Medical Collage. While her introduction to medicine was really in its absence, as a Vietnamese immigrant, her personal connection with the loss of a loved one, coupled with her academic and clinical experiences drive her passion.
“I’ve seen how healing begins not just with diagnosis, but with providers who strive to understand other’s culture and language, who understand the silences between words, who follow-up after discharge. I want to help build a system what listens more deeply, reaches more people and finally brings care within reach.”
Peduzzi, a student at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University is a graduate of Schreyer Honors College at the Pennsylvania State University. She expressed that her move to Lancaster as a child and her subsequent interactions with so many warm, thoughtful, encouraging people – – including a high school biology teacher – – helped her find her path.
“As a highschooler, I was already interested in science, but his teaching made it exciting and humorous and attainable all at once. Biology started to feel like something I could do, and enjoy, for the rest of my life. This encouragement and advice, is why I became an EMT at 16. My love for biology was transforming, focusing into a passion for medicine.”
Thomas, who spent his undergraduate years at Emory University is a student at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. He believes that having the privilege to care for the mind and body is what makes medicine truly remarkable.
“It’s about addressing not just the physical symptoms but the psychological and emotional layers that accompany illness” explained Thomas.
“My diverse experiences from witnessing crises to mentoring vulnerable students have equipped me with the empathy and skills necessary to practice medicine in a compassionate way that always prioritizes the person behind the illness.”
Lancaster Medical Society Foundation scholarships are awarded to students with a strong connection to Lancaster County who are attending allopathic or osteopathic medical schools. Applicants must demonstrate academic achievement, motivation and leadership, show an interest in meeting societal needs and share a desire to potentially serve Lancaster County residents as a future physician.
The Scholarship Foundation is generously supported by the Lancaster County medical community, through hospitals and health systems, group practices, individual medical society members, and local businesses support the fund.