Education Foundation

In 1983 the Colorado Medical Society Board of Directors recommended to the membership the creation of the Colorado Medical Society Education and Research Foundation (CMS ERF), a 501(c)(3) private foundation. Over the years the function of CMS EF has changed from the support of education and research to exclusively the support of educational activities. Hence in 1998 the name and mission were changed to Colorado Medical Society Education Foundation (CMS EF) to reflect the change in its function.

The function of CMS EF is (1) to provide financial support to the Colorado Science and Engineering Fair through a donation of $1,000 yearly, (2) to support the educational portions of the CMS Annual Meeting, and (3) to identify deserving first year students entering the University of Colorado School of Medicine and awarding a scholarship of $5,000 to be used at the University of Colorado School of Medicine to each student selected. To receive a scholarship a student must demonstrate outstanding academic achievement during his/her undergraduate years, have significant financial need and express a desire to enter one of the primary care specialties and practice in an underserved urban or rural area.

Since 1989 the CMS EF has awarded 28 scholarships to first year CU medical students amounting to $124,000 and since 1992 has provided $7,500 to the Colorado Science and Engineering Fair. The Foundation receives an annual grant of $5,000 from the Colorado Medical Foundation Trust to support the educational portion of the CMS Annual Meeting.

We are grateful for the staffing of CMS EF by CMS. This has made it possible for 99.9% of the donations we receive to go directly to scholarships and support of the Colorado Science and Engineering Fair.

Over the years the activities of CMS EF have been dependent on our ability to obtain tax-deductible donations from CMS members. This was accomplished through several fund-raising activities.

Enclosed with your annual CMS dues statement is a request from CMS EF for a donation of at least $25. Since 1984 the generosity of CMS members has provided $100,437 to CMS EF and funded 26 of the 28 scholarships we have awarded. The recipients of these scholarships, your future colleagues, greatly appreciate your help.

The CMS Board approved a $50 memorial donation in the name of each CMS member who has died during that year.

Do you Appreciate Your Doctor?

In 2002 the "In Appreciation of" program was started. For a contribution to the CMS EF of $25 or more, you can give a donation in the name of someone you wish to honor or remember. This is a gift that will keep on giving for many years. Your contribution is tax-deductible, the person in whose name the gift is made will receive a special certificate recognizing him/her on this occasion, and the student receiving the scholarship will benefit greatly by your help.

We have been deeply appreciative of the Aurora-Adams County Medical Society, the Arapahoe County Medical Society and the Rocky Mountain Oncology Society for their very generous support; together their organizations have funded the equivalent of one scholarship.

It would be greatly appreciated if your county medical society or specialty organization could find a way to support CMS EF scholarships.

We are developing several additional fund-raising strategies. When these are closer to implementation, we will make them available to you.

For those of you who are looking into the future, ask your financial advisor if you might be able to support CMS EF as part of your estate planning.

The CMS EF is dedicated to advancing medicine in Colorado. We have accomplished this by stimulating middle and high school level students in the scientific disciplines through our activities with the Colorado Science and Engineering Fair. Our major effort has been to provide financial aid to first year medical students. Our emphasis in selecting scholarship recipients is their stated desire to enter a primary care specialty and practice in underserved urban and rural areas. Through this activity the Foundation also introduces them to CMS and points out to them the importance of organized medicine. These students may well be the future leaders in our profession.

Our success is dependent on the donations from the membership of CMS.

Please join your fellow physicians and provide yearly financial support for the future of our profession. Your gift will continue to give for many years.

We appreciate your comments and suggestions.
Please e-mail us at webmaster@cms.org.