Stecker Scholarship Program

The Stecker Scholarship Program was established in 1995 to fund eligible, mid-career physicians and nurses from any country outside the United States to observe clinical practice for three months at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

Fredrick and Virginia Smith Stecker traveled around the world in their lifetime. They were particularly distressed to see the plight of children who lacked adequate health care. Mr. and Mrs. Stecker provided the funds to establish and support a Stecker Scholarship Program to improve children’s access to quality healthcare throughout the world. Since its establishment, the Stecker Scholarship Program has supported the education of more than 600 scholars from over 70 countries.

The Stecker Scholarship Program offers funding for an individually tailored medical educational experience. The scholarship provides a stipend for 3 months of living and housing expenses, educational fees, and health insurance fees. After completing the observation, Stecker Scholars are required to return to their home institution to implement new programs and services and improve health care.

Applications for the Stecker Scholarship are reviewed twice each year. The application deadlines are April 15 and October 15 each year. Applications not received by a deadline will be reviewed submitted for the next deadline.

Eligibility Requirements

1. Applicants are required to meet all general International Scholars Program requirements to include immunization, VISA, professional credentials, and English proficiency documentation before final approval of a Stecker Scholarship Award.
2. Applicants must demonstrate a significant portion of their practice is devoted to pediatrics. While many countries don’t have dedicated pediatric specialties, the applicant should be able to demonstrate the type and number of pediatric patients under their care or within their institution.
3. Physician applicants must have an academic appointment at a university or teaching facility or be able to demonstrate ongoing teaching of medical students, residents, or trainees. Nurses must document significant teaching and leadership responsibilities.
4. Applicants from underserved countries or who can document a major part of their practice involves underserved populations are given priority in the review process. Although eligible physicians and nurses are considered from any country outside the USA, the intent of the Stecker Scholarship program is to support colleagues from low resource areas. The Stecker Scholarship Program only accepts two scholars from the same country in a three-year period. When the maximum number of scholars has been reached for a specific country, subsequent applicants from that same country will be asked to reapply at a later date.
5. Applicants must be a currently practicing, mid-career professional demonstrating significant history in clinical practice, leadership and/or scholarly activity. For this reason, potential scholars must have completed all requisite training in their country; students and or trainees will not be considered for a Stecker Scholarship award.
6. Applicants cannot have a primary focus on research or expect to spend significant time at non-Nationwide Children’s sites.