Montefiore's Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City said it will offer free tuition in perpetuity to medical school students after a $1 billion donation from Ruth Gottesman, EdD, chair of the Einstein board of trustees and Montefiore Health System board member, The New York Times reported.
Philip Ozuah, MD, PhD, president and CEO of Montefiore Einstein, announced the "historic gift," which is likely the largest made to any medical school in the U.S.
The donation will provide reimbursement to current fourth-year medical school students for their spring 2024 semester tuition, according to the medical school. All medical school students moving forward will receive free tuition at Einstein, effective beginning in August.
"This donation radically revolutionizes our ability to continue attracting students who are committed to our mission, not just those who can afford it," Yaron Tomer, MD, the Marilyn and Stanley Katz Dean at Einstein, said in a news release shared with Becker's.
"Additionally, it will free up and lift our students, enabling them to pursue projects and ideas that might otherwise be prohibitive. We will be reminded of the legacy this historic gift represents each spring as we send another diverse class of physicians out across the Bronx and around the world to provide compassionate care and transform their communities."
Dr. Gottesman, along with her late husband, David "Sandy" Gottesman, have been donors to Einstein in the past, and she has been associated with the medical school for more than 50 years, formerly serving as a faculty member and director of psychoeducational services, according to the Times.
Einstein is part of New York City-based Montefiore Health System. More than 100 students enter the medical school each year, according to Dr. Gottesman.