Cecilia Comerford-Ames, CMS Communications

Every year, the Colorado Medical Society Educational Foundation (CMS-EF) proudly awards scholarships to promising future physicians. CMS-EF offers two distinguished scholarships: the Gilchrist Student Leadership Scholarship and the Rural Track Scholarship.

The Rural Track Scholarship financially supports students in good academic standing who are completing their first or second year in a rural medicine track or program of a Colorado medical school. This scholarship aims to encourage and assist those committed to serving rural communities.

The Gilchrist Student Leader Scholarship provides financial assistance to third- and fourth-year medical students who have made significant leadership contributions to organized medicine. This scholarship recognizes their dedication and outstanding achievements.

Below are the scholarship awardees who have already made incredible contributions to benefit their communities and show great promise for the future.

Rural Track Scholars

Roopa Bhat: Witnessing the struggle for health care access in rural New Hampshire, future doctor Roopa Bhat was driven to create When2Go, an app that supports the rural community to know when to make a trip to the hospital. Inspired by personal experiences and as an EMT, she saw the deeper needs of these communities. Now, with a computer science degree from Columbia and further training at the University of Colorado School of Medicine’s rural track program, she is dedicated to becoming a physician who brings comprehensive care to underserved areas.

Rebecca Bolen: Growing up in Winter Park, Colo., future doctor Rebecca Bolen witnessed firsthand the challenges of rural health care. Her journey began with an EMS course in high school, sparking a passion for rural medicine. At Rocky Vista University she created Rural Roots: Healthcare Pathways to get more rural high schoolers interested in medicine. Her goal is to return as a dedicated rural doctor, giving back to the community that shaped her.

Isabella Contolini: Future doctor Isabella Contolini is a passionate advocate for rural and wilderness medicine. Growing up in Denver’s suburbs, her love for the outdoors and desire to help others led her to this unique path. Her inspiration for rural medicine was fostered by mission trips to Guatemala and shadowing a physician, and she aims to build close patient relationships and serve her community. Isabella’s journey is driven by a deep commitment to Colorado medicine.

Robert Tolson: Future doctor Robert Tolson, a first-year medical student at Rocky Vista University, is passionate about rural and wilderness medicine! Growing up in Fort Morgan, Colo., Robert’s childhood and high school experiences at St. Elizabeth Hospital shaped his dedication to rural health care. Inspired by his mother, a devoted lactation consultant and obstetric nurse, Robert values the deep connections formed in tight-knit communities. He is working to become a rural physician who offers not just medical care but also friendship and support. Robert aims to give back to the community that raised him, carrying forward his mother’s legacy.

Conor Wallace: Future doctor Conor Wallace grew up in Eagle County, Colo., where he had firsthand experience with rural health care disparities. After supporting family members through six-hour drives for treatment, late diagnoses, and a shortage of providers, he is committed to helping solve these issues. After training, he will serve rural Colorado communities and make a positive impact on the lives of individuals and families.

Gilchrist Scholars: 

Sonia Abraham: Future doctor Sonia Abraham is a proud Colorado native. Her journey to leadership began with a passion for equity. In high school, she discovered the transformative power of volunteering at an underserved clinic, igniting her commitment to community service. Throughout medical school, she wrote policy for CMS and testified on critical patient and physician issues. As a liaison at CDPHE health equity meetings, she amplified student voices, believing that recognizing community gaps is vital to uplift and safeguard marginalized groups.

Dakota Hitchcock: Since joining CMS, future doctor Dakota Hitchcock has witnessed the power of advocating for communities. Driven to serve underserved populations, with a passion for rural medicine and reducing health care disparities, she saw firsthand the challenges of opioid use disorder in rural Alamosa, Colo. Through AMA advocacy, she helped secure Medicaid funding for essential car rides to treatment. This experience solidified her commitment to advocacy in medicine.

Pritika Parmar: Future doctor Pritika Parmar recognizes the importance of taking health equity issues from research to clinical care, and ultimately to legislation. As a Colorado student delegate to the AMA, she supported policies to combat skin cancer and improve interpreter services for low-English proficiency patients. She is committed to advocacy and aspires to bridge the gap between research, clinical care and policy, ensuring equitable health care for all.

Contribute to the Education Foundation

CMS-EF can’t support the future of medicine without your support. Visit cms.org/contribute to make a contribution, or add a donation to your annual dues when you receive your 2025 membership invoice in September.