Saryu and Jitu Desai Foundation Scholarship

Drs. Jitendra M. and Saryu J. Desai established their scholarship in 2002. This scholarship is awarded to a second-, third-, or fourth-year medical student who demonstrates a sustained commitment to serving their community, particularly through healthcare-related volunteerism, advocacy, or leadership in underserved populations.

Saryu and Jitu Desai Foundation Scholarship

A $5,000 scholarship will be awarded to a qualified medical student.

Eligibility for scholarship applicants:

• Applicant must be a United States citizen or legal permanent resident.
• Applicant must be a Pennsylvania resident for at least 12 months before registering as a medical student (not including time spent attending a PA undergraduate/graduate school).
• Applicant must demonstrate a sustained commitment to serving their community, particularly through healthcare-related volunteerism, advocacy, or leadership in underserved populations.
• Applicant must be enrolled full-time in a fully accredited Pennsylvania medical school.
• Applicant must be enrolled in his/her second, third, or fourth year of medical school.

Applicant must use the Scholarship Application Portal to submit the following:

• A completed scholarship application.
• Two reference letters, from persons other than family members, documenting the applicant’s integrity, interpersonal skills, and potential as a future physician.
• A letter, on school letterhead, from the applicant’s medical school verifying that he/she is enrolled full-time as a second-, third-, or fourth-year medical student at that institution.
• A photograph to be used if selected as a recipient

Fulfilling a Dream

The Saryu and Jitu Desai Foundation Scholarship fund was made possible by contributions from Drs. Jitendra and Saryu Desai and other friends of medicine.

Dr. Jitendra Desai, a urologist, and Dr. Saryu Desai, an anesthesiologist, from Sewickley, Pennsylvania, initiated this scholarship in July 2002, originally known as The Endowment for South Asian Students of Indian Descent (ESASID).

The scholarship was established to help South Asian Indian medical students who demonstrated academic excellence but struggled with the escalating costs of a medical education.

The eligibility criteria has since been revised to assist medical students who demonstrate a sustained commitment to serving their community, particularly through healthcare-related volunteerism, advocacy, or leadership in underserved populations.