LoginFour-year partnership helps promising undergraduate researchers take the next step toward becoming physician-scientists and advancing discoveries that can improve lives.
Selected as a 2026 Goldwater Scholar, Amir Etemadi has a big goal: become a surgeon-scientist whose research doesn’t stop at the laboratory door but reaches the patients and communities who need it most. The Carleton College Class of 2027 student hopes to combine medicine, research and population-level data to improve healthcare outcomes in the field of otolaryngology.
Etemadi’s Goldwater Scholarship, funded by UWorld, also provides him with access to UWorld’s MCAT Comprehensive Prep Course, to prepare for the high-stakes exam and continue pursuing his goal of entering an MD/PhD program.
“Being selected for the Goldwater Scholarship and having access to UWorld’s resources gave me the confidence to succeed and continue pursuing my goal of entering an MD/PhD program,” Etemadi said.
Now, UWorld and the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation are extending their partnership for a fourth year, continuing their support for the next generation of physician-scientists pursuing careers at the intersection of medicine and research.
Since the partnership began in 2023, UWorld has supported more than 250 Goldwater Scholars with nearly $250,000 in financial and product scholarships. As the foundation’s sole private-sector partner, UWorld will deepen that commitment in the 2027-28 academic year by providing financial scholarships and educational resources to Goldwater Scholars pursuing MD/PhD and DO/PhD pathways.
Through its philanthropic arm, UWorld Cares, UWorld will provide:
- Six scholarships totaling $45,000 for Goldwater Scholars pursuing an MD/PhD or DO/PhD
- For each of the six scholarship recipients, access to UWorld’s 90-day MCAT® Comprehensive Prep Course, plus complimentary access to either UWorld’s 90-day USMLE® Step 1 QBank or COMLEX® Level 1 QBank
- Access to UWorld’s 90-day MCAT® QBank for all Goldwater Scholars pursuing an MD/PhD or DO/PhD
“Every year, we meet Goldwater Scholars with extraordinary ideas and an even greater sense of purpose,” said Jeffrey A. Elliott, Chief Operating Officer at UWorld. “They are preparing to become the researchers, physicians and scientific leaders who will tackle some of our most difficult challenges and improve lives in ways we can’t yet imagine. After four years of this partnership, we’re incredibly proud to keep investing in their potential and helping more of these remarkable students turn their ambitions into discoveries that can change the world.”
“We are grateful for UWorld’s continued partnership in supporting students preparing for research careers in medicine and science,” said Dr. John H. Yopp, chair of the foundation’s board of trustees. “Their generous scholarships and educational resources expand access to high-quality preparation for scholars pursuing advanced training and strengthen the pipeline of future researchers and physician-scientists. We look forward to our continued partnership with UWorld.”
About Goldwater
The Goldwater Foundation identifies and supports undergraduate students who demonstrate academic achievement, research experience and a commitment to pursuing research careers in the natural sciences, mathematics and engineering. Scholars are selected through a competitive national process that considers their research experience, academic accomplishments, faculty recommendations and commitment to advancing scientific inquiry.
Contacts Shellby Padgett: goldwaterao@goldwaterscholarship.gov