KCMS Community Foundation
Advancing medical education, strengthening the physician workforce, and supporting healthier communities across King County and Washington State.
About the Foundation
The King County Medical Society Community Foundation (KCMS-CF) is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization dedicated to improving community health, supporting medical education, and strengthening the future of healthcare in our community.
Our Work
- Improving community health across King County
- Supporting the next generation of physicians
- Investing in programs that create lasting impact
Mission
The mission of KCMS-CF is to advance charitable, educational, and scientific initiatives that improve healthcare delivery, support medical education, and enhance patient outcomes across King County and Washington State.
What We Do
KCMS Community Foundation collaborates with healthcare organizations, institutions, and community partners to develop and support programs that address critical healthcare needs, advance physician and community education, expand access to care, and strengthen the physician workforce.
Through grant-funded initiatives, educational programs, and community convenings, the Foundation advances clinical knowledge, recognizes excellence in medicine, and supports the next generation of physicians to improve health outcomes across Washington State.
Tax Information
KCMS-CF is a registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Support Medical Education Grants
The KCMS-CF Medical Education Grant supports medical students in Washington State. Now in its fourth year, the program provides direct financial support to students at the University of Washington (UW), Washington State University (WSU), and Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences (PNWU) during the most demanding years of medical education.
Your support helps ensure that students can focus on their education and their patients.
Ways to Give
- Make a donation to the Medical Education Grant fund
- Give in honor of a colleague, mentor, or loved one
- Establish a named grant (minimum $10,000)
- Include KCMS-CF in your estate planning
Create a Named or Endowed Grant
- Establish a named fund in your name or in honor of someone important to you
- Define the focus or purpose of your grant
- KCMS-CF manages the application and selection process
Questions?
KCMS Community Foundation Board of Directors
Scientists, physicians, and community leaders who contribute their time and expertise to support the Foundation’s mission.
Announcing Our 2026 Medical Student Grant Recipients
Each year, the KCMS Community Foundation awards grants to Washington State medical students who demonstrate leadership, a commitment to community health, and dedication to the future of medicine. This year, the Foundation selected one student from each of the state’s three medical schools. These grants are made possible through an endowment created by the generous support of our KCMS members, a lasting investment in the physicians of tomorrow.
Alice Sohn, University of Washington School of Medicine
Alice brings a strong research record to her training, with seven peer-reviewed publications and a clear sense of how barriers to care shape patients’ lives. Her faculty mentor described her as an outstanding student.
“I am incredibly honored and grateful to receive this grant. It reminds me that it truly takes a village to support someone in getting to where they are today. This grant will help alleviate the financial burden of attending medical school and allow me to focus on my education and becoming a compassionate physician. I am grateful for this opportunity, and hope to one day do the same for future students who are following a similar path.”
Hector Andres-Gaspar, Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences
Hector has spent years bringing care directly to people who need it most. He helped launch the UW Mobile Health Clinic, coordinates a local shelter, and created a scholarship to support other students following a path like his own.
“In middle school, I wrote a letter to my future self saying that I wanted to become a doctor. Coming from an underserved and underrepresented background, I now realize how much the odds were stacked against me, but that never stopped me from dreaming. I owe it to that younger version of myself, and to every child who dares to dream, to keep pushing forward and become a familiar face in medicine for those who may not have always seen themselves represented. Receiving this grant brings me one step closer to fulfilling that childhood dream.”
Nashrah Junejo, Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine
Nashrah began her path to medicine after immigrating to the United States at 17, while also helping her parents learn English. Since then, she has co-founded two organizations, completed an NIH research internship, and published five papers.
“This grant is more than funding; it is an affirmation that the work I care about, expanding access to care and mentorship in underserved communities, matters. I am honored and excited to carry that mission with me as a future physician.”
Announcing Our 2025 Medical Student Grant Recipients
Each year, the KCMS Community Foundation awards grants to Washington State medical students who demonstrate leadership, a commitment to community health, and dedication to the future of medicine. These grants are made possible through an endowment created by the generous support of our KCMS members creating a lasting investment in the physicians of tomorrow.
Waleed Gharib, University of Washington School of Medicine
“As someone raised in a single-parent low-income household in South King County, this grant means more than words can express. It will help ease the financial burden of medical school as I work toward becoming a physician committed to serving the community that shaped me. My journey is deeply rooted in a mission to address health disparities, including the trauma of gun violence, and to help heal the very neighborhoods I’ve called home all my life.”
Hannah Segal, University of Washington School of Medicine
“I am honored and grateful to be a recipient of the King County Medical Society Community Foundation Grant. This grant reaffirms my commitment to advancing health equity and inclusion in medicine, empowering me to work towards a healthcare system where every individual, regardless of their background, has access to patient-centered care. I am deeply encouraged by KCMS-CF’s dedication to uplifting underrepresented and underserved communities in healthcare and remain committed to carrying that mission forward as I continue my journey to becoming a physician who serves with compassion, culturally responsive care, and advocacy.”
Isha Shrestha, University of Washington School of Medicine
“This award is both an honor and an encouragement to advance equitable, compassionate care. It reminds me that meaningful change in medicine begins with community support.”
Benishia Robinson, Pacific Northwest University
“This award encourages me to keep striving and growing toward my goal of becoming a physician for underserved communities. It represents both support and belief in the path I’m pursuing, which means so much to me.”
Announcing Our 2024 Medical Student Grant Recipients
Each year, the KCMS Community Foundation awards grants to Washington State medical students who demonstrate leadership, a commitment to community health, and dedication to the future of medicine. In 2024, the Foundation’s Grant Committee reviewed nearly 30 applications from the state’s three medical schools and selected one student from each, recognizing their commitment to patient care, community service, and improving access to healthcare in underserved communities.
Below, the recipients share what this support means to them. Their views are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the KCMS Community Foundation.
Salsabeal Alsaedy, Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine – “I grew up in the Greater Seattle region and attended the University of Washington, where I earned a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry. I am committed to serving patients holistically, especially those in medically underserved populations. I find all areas of medicine fascinating, but I am interested in internal medicine. This grant provides me with more motivation and confidence, pushing me to strive even harder toward my goals.”
Luis Sanchez, University of Washington School of Medicine – “I am deeply honored to receive the King County Medical Society Community Foundation (KCMS-CF) Grant. As a second-year medical student and the first in my family to graduate from high school and university, this achievement holds special significance for me. My journey from being a first-generation immigrant from Mexico to pursuing a career in medicine has been driven by my personal experiences with healthcare disparities, particularly those faced by migrant farmworkers and underserved communities. Growing up, my family worked as seasonal migrant farmworkers, and I witnessed firsthand the challenges of accessing quality healthcare. These early experiences ignited my passion for medicine and my commitment to addressing these inequities. My work at Sea Mar Community Health Centers, along with my teaching and volunteer experiences, has further solidified my dedication to serving marginalized populations, including immigrants and the LGBTQ+ community. Receiving this grant is not just a milestone in my education but a validation of my commitment to becoming the first doctor in my family. It empowers me to continue working toward a future where everyone, regardless of their background, has access to the healthcare they need and deserve.”
Gabriela Gomez, Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences – “Growing up in an inner city in Los Angeles, CA, I became accustomed to seeing the effects of inequality, poverty, violence, and discrimination that impacted most of my community. From a sense of hopelessness to help, I used my desire to bring change to communities like my own and fueled it into finding resources and opportunities to improve my professional development. Along my journey, I had the fortune to be a part of amazing organizations where I could not only expand my skillset but bring medical care to some of our most vulnerable communities. As a first-generation Latina, I carry my culture with me and use my lived experiences to connect with other like me who dream to become the first doctors in their family. My aspiration as I prepare myself to become a medical doctor is to bring representation and improve access to medical care for marginalized communities. In addition, I want to demonstrate to students, who like me, come from academic institutions with limited resources and poor academic success that entering higher education and professional careers is not just a dream but attainable… With this grant, I now feel less of a burden on budgeting and planning for unexpected emergency and can channel those fears into training to become a well-rounded physician and volunteer with organizations to continue to advocate for increased representation.”
Announcing Our 2023 Medical Student Grant Recipient
In 2023, the KCMS Community Foundation awarded its first Medical Education Grant, launching a program that now supports students at all three of Washington State’s medical schools. These grants are made possible through an endowment created by the generous support of our KCMS members, a lasting investment in the physicians of tomorrow.
Tim Iwuoha, Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences
“It is an honor to be the first scholarship awardee. Your support and the support of the King County Medical Society mean a lot to me, and I feel blessed to know that I have your support as I continue my journey into medicine… I believe I am the perfect example of ‘it takes a village to raise a child’ and the saying, ‘It is not about how you start, but how you finish.’ I hope to represent someone people can admire and use as motivation to pursue their dreams. Thank you so much!”