The STS Looking to the Future Scholarship program is a best-in-class education and workforce development program that helps general surgery residents and medical students pursue careers in cardiothoracic surgery. STS works directly with the country’s most talented residents and students and provides education and mentorship to help them navigate this exciting and complex surgical specialty.
The primary goal of the scholarship is to provide mentorship and exposure for medical students and general surgery residents interested in pursuing careers in cardiothoracic surgery.
Since 2006, 946 aspiring cardiothoracic surgeons have received LTTF scholarships.
2027 Looking to the Future Scholarship Recipients
Sanya Ahmed, MD - SUNY - Downstate
Dominic Amara, MD, MS - University of California, Los Angeles
Joshua Brady, MD, PhD - Universitty of Wisconsin - Madison
Jack Burrows, DO, MS - University of Mississippi Medical Center
Radek Buss, MD - Johns Hopkins
Rachel Carpenter, MD - University of Vermont Medical Center
Kameron Durante, DO - University of Arizona - Tucson
Brianna Harvey, MD - University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Karen Kennamer, MD - Eastern Virginia Medical School at Old Dominion University
Szu-In Lim, MD - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Ruby Lopez-Flores, MD - Duke University Hospital
Madison Malfitano, MD - MedStar Georgetown University Hospital/Washington Hospital Center
Emil Maric, MD - Loyola University Medical Center
Jorge Monserrate-Marrero, MD - University of Puerto Rico - Medical Science Campus
Eva Munshower, MD - St. Luke's University Health Network
Lucas Niebrugge, MD - University of Hawaii
Abimbola Oyedeji, MD - University of Missouri Kansas City
Jenna Powell, MD - Indiana University School of Medicine
Cameron Stadlin, MD - Inova Fairfax Hospital
Laura Stokes, MD - Mayo Clinic - Arizona
Hannah Theriot, MD - Louisiana State University - New Orleans
Adrian Valderrama, MD - University of California, San Francisco, East Bay
Erik VanFossen, DO - Baptist Memorial Hospital Memphis
Timothy Veit, DO - Madigan Army Medical Center
Joy Wang, MD - UT Southwestern
Gunjan Agarwal - Duke University
Augustine Benjamin - Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Thalia Casanova - Rush Medical College
Tyrese Claridge-Rogers - Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine - South Georgia Campus
Eli Contorno - University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences - Little Rock
Ahmed El-Hamad - University of Toronto - Temerty Faculty of Medicine
Jiovanna Fernandez - Florida International University - Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine
Nolan Groninger, MPH - Indiana University School of Medicine - Indianapolis
Woo Jeong - Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine
Rachel Johnstone - Northeast Ohio Medical University
Hyun Su Kim - Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine
Regina Knudsen, MS - Florida Atlantic University Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine
Kopal Kumar - University of Missouri - Kansas City
Margaret Lasonde - University of Illinois College of Medicine - Chicago
David Lee - University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
Madison McCarthy, MPP, MPH - David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Tiffany Nguyen - Tulane University School of Medicine
Giulia Palaia - University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences
Nicolas Pinzon - Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Rhea Rahim - Medical College of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Campus
Angela Ryu - California Northstate University College of Medicine
William Sham - University of Washington School of Medicine - Spokane
Branden Tejada - CUNY School of Medicine
Anita Zahiri - Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University
Samuel Zhang - Penn State College of Medicine
2027 STS LTTF Scholarship Benefits:
- Complimentary registration for 2027 STS Annual Meeting, Jan. 28-31, 2027, in San Diego, CA
- Scholars will be expected to arrive at the hotel on Wednesday, Jan. 27 by 5 p.m. PT and depart the meeting no earlier than 12 p.m. PT Sunday, Jan. 31. No early/late departure will be accommodated.
- General Surgery residents: If you are selected for a scholarship, there will be no exceptions made to accommodate the ABSITE exam. Scholarship recipients are expected to make arrangements with their institutions to take the exam before/after attending the STS Annual Meeting.
- A 4-night stay at an STS-designated hotel (check in Jan. 27, check out Jan. 31). Scholars are expected to stay the entire weekend.
- Participation in exclusive events
- Reimbursement of up to $700 in related travel expenses
- Scholars will be responsible for making their own travel arrangements (i.e. flights).
- Expenses will be reimbursed after the meeting, which could take up to two months. Scholars should keep all receipts that show itemized purchase and payment details.
- Credly badge to use on various social media profiles and in email signatures to showcase scholarship
The following are eligible to apply:
- Medical students training at an institution in the United States or Canada. Preference will be given to MS1/MS2 applicants.
- Clinical PGY1, PGY2, or PGY3 general surgery residents training at an institution in the United States or Canada. Preference will be given to PGY1/PGY2 applicants.
- General surgery residents on dedicated research time who have not started their PGY4 clinical year training at an institution in the United States or Canada.
Scholarships will be limited to one scholar per institution, and not all institutions will have a scholarship recipient. Preference will be given to MS1/MS2 and PGY1/PGY2 applicants, but all eligible applications will be considered.
Priority is given to applicants who have not attended a national cardiothoracic surgery meeting or received another CT surgery meeting scholarship. Please do not apply if you have received any of the following scholarships: STS LTTF or You Belong Scholarships, TSF Saha Scholarship, AATS Member for a Day or Medical Student Diversity Scholarships, STSA Brooks Scholarship, or WTS Carpenter, Thistlethwaite, Colson, or Annual Meeting Scholarships. If you apply for the LTTF scholarship and are awarded any of the above, you must alert STS as soon as possible.
All Applicants must provide the following:
- A CV
- A signed letter of commitment form (see links to required forms) from Dean (Medical Students) or Program Director (General Surgery Residents)
- A letter of recommendation on university/institution letterhead from a Program Director, cardiothoracic surgeon, or faculty member who knows you best (applicants will upload the letter into their application)
- An essay question: In 250 words or less, please describe why STS should select you for this scholarship. Incorporate the answers to these questions in your response and be as specific as possible: How have you defined and developed your interest in cardiothoracic surgery as a career? How have you pursued mentoring and exposure to CT surgery at your current institution? What opportunities would this scholarship afford you that are currently unavailable within your current institution?
Applications for the 2028 LTTF Scholarship will open in August 2027.
LTTF FAQs
Yes. No exceptions are made to this policy.
Yes, you can apply, but if you receive an award, especially the STS You Belong scholarship, TSF Saha Scholarship, AATS Member for a Day or Medical Student Diversity Scholarships, STSA Brooks Scholarship, or WTS Carpenter, Thistlethwaite, Colson, or Annual Meeting Scholarships, you must alert STS as soon as possible. Recipients of any of these awards will not be awarded the LTTF scholarship.
Yes! All eligible applicants are encouraged to reapply.
No. All LTTF scholars are expected to arrive on Wednesday, January 27th and stay through the entire meeting, departing on Sunday, January 31st. Applicants are asked to have the Letter of Commitment form completed and submitted with the application, which informs institutions of the meeting dates.
Only one applicant per institution per scholarship level (medical student or general surgery resident) will be eligible to receive the scholarship. There are only 25 scholars chosen for each level, and not every institution will have a scholar recipient.
Yes, we encourage all medical students and general surgery residents in PGY1-3 years (and those in a research year who have not yet started their PGY4 year) to apply. While preference will be given to MS1/MS2 and PGY1/PGY2 applicants, the applicant pool changes every year and all applications are considered.
Yes! We encourage all LTTF applicants to apply for STS membership. Once you’re an STS member, you will receive discounted registration to STS 2027, and you can apply for mentorship with the STS Mentorship Program. Please note that membership applications go through a review process, and mentorship matching can take 1-3 months.
Questions?
Email Maureen Ewing.
