CDU Welcomes First Cohort of Sutter Health Scholarship Winners to MD Program
Sutter Health, one of the nation’s largest integrated health care systems, introduced their inaugural cohort of scholarship recipients who will receive full-tuition support in the CDU MD Program.
These students – Derrick Agbemenu, Eric Arauza, Priscilla Covarrubias, Naomi Dillard, and Anaissa Medina – all hail from across California. They will begin their CDU journey this summer in the second cohort of CDU’s historic MD Program as part of the Class of 2028.
The first cohort of Sutter Health scholarship recipients were selected based on their academic achievements, personal and professional accomplishments, and commitment to community service, making them invaluable additions to CDU’s Class of 2028.
“We’ve intentionally selected five students who have a passion for serving their communities and the world around them,” said Leon Clark, vice president and chief academic affairs officer at Sutter Health. “While our goal is to help alleviate some of the financial burdens of pursuing a medical degree, our teams will also be here to support these students on a personal level. We are ready to coach and mentor these students, whether one-on-one or inside real-world clinic settings, to help them experience their education in a new light.”
The Sutter Health Scholars Program, one of the largest in CDU’s history, is designed to increase the number of diverse health care professionals by widening pathways for underrepresented, aspiring physicians in California. Sutter’s $7.5 million initial investment will provide five full-tuition scholarships across five cohorts, totaling 25 scholarships.
“Understanding the root cause of inequities – and taking practical steps to address them – is how we can make meaningful changes to our health care system,” said Dr. Deborah Prothrow-Stith, Dean of the CDU College of Medicine. “We are grateful to our partners at Sutter Health for providing resources to a new pool of diverse, aspiring health care professionals and look forward to seeing how these bright individuals go on to improve community health throughout California.”
CDU opened its nationally accredited medical school in 2023, making it one of only four Historically Black Medical Schools in America. The incoming class is responding to Los Angeles County’s, the state’s, and the nation’s need for physician workforce diversity and increased healthcare access in underserved and under-resourced communities.
With a strong focus on social justice and health equity, CDU students often return to practice and provide care in underserved communities after graduation.