CCLCM Goes Tuition Free!

Yesterday afternoon we had the most incredible thing happen. On Tuesday, an email was sent around to all of the students to tell us that an important announcement would be made the next day, and that we should try to be present for it if we could. We all suspected that it was either about changing our school affiliation or free tuition. The dean sent around an email saying that the announcement was NOT about our school affiliation. So then we all figured it would be for free tuition, and sure enough, that is what it was. Next year's first years will never pay a dime. The current students will also get free tuition from now on, as well as a refund on half of the tuition we have paid so far. So the people in my class will be getting back one year's worth of tuition, and the fourth years will be getting back two years' worth. What an incredibly awesome and amazing gift.

Here is the press release from the Cleveland Clinic:

I am pleased to announce that the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University is providing all its students with full tuition scholarships, beginning with this July’s incoming class.

Students currently enrolled in the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine will receive additional scholarship funding to offset 50% of the difference between past tuition paid and the financial aid they’ve already received.

Cleveland Clinic will support the full tuition scholarships through existing endowment income and clinical operations. The long-term goal is to fund the scholarships entirely through endowment income.

Training the newest generation of physician scientists is an important aspect of Cleveland Clinic’s mission and enhances our long-term ability to provide patients with state-of-the-art healthcare.

By providing full tuition support, we will ensure that debt does not hinder the ability of bright and talented individuals to pursue a career in academic medicine. It is an investment in our future and the future of medicine.

Everyone was so excited! Dr. Cosgrove, the CEO of the Cleveland Clinic, was there to make the announcement, and I was able to thank him in person for doing this. After the announcement was over, all of the students poured out onto the deck and were calling their families on their cell phones. There were photographers taking pictures, Mrs. Lerner and the Board of Trustees were there, and people were laughing and crying all over the place. It was just incredible. What a feeling. I still can't believe that this has happened. I knew that the school was planning to go tuition-free eventually, but I never thought I'd be around to see it happen! Some of my classmates and I went out for dinner to celebrate.

The only downside to this whole thing is that unfortunately, the UP students are not getting the free tuition. I feel very bad about this, because our tuition for next year is up to $43,000. Hopefully Case will find a way to provide them with free tuition also.