Be the Reason: Meet McKenna Smith

Saint Louis University School of Medicine Student

After McKenna Smith shadowed physicians in her hometown of Jackson, Tennessee, she was clear on what she wanted in a medical school: a high-quality education in a close-knit community where faculty know their students by name.

Saint Louis University met her aspirations, and the Cura Personalis Scholarship confirmed for her that SLU invests in its students.

“If I hadn’t been awarded the scholarship, the mental burden of medical school would have been much heavier,” said Smith, who is in her third year at the School of Medicine. “Instead, it allows me to focus on the things I’m passionate about and devote time to them, rather than worry about how I am going to pay for my education.”

Opening the Doors to Leadership and Meaningful Careers

Smith credits her scholarship with giving her the freedom to lead as co-president of her class, conduct research and coach a Girls on the Run St. Louis team twice a week, without the stress of working to cover tuition. She sees these experiences as critical to building the leadership skills she will need to be a more effective physician, she said. 

She said she also recognizes the difficult reality many medical students face when weighing the cost of tuition, books and living expenses against choosing specialties that may be less financially rewarding.

“Asking if medical school is going to pay off in the ways we hope it will is a conversation that I think a lot of students are having,” Smith said. “It’s vital for students to receive scholarships and financial assistance so they can pursue a specialty they are dedicated to and have job satisfaction.”

I've received so much financial assistance throughout my education, and it would be lovely to be in a position to be able to do that for someone who comes after me."

McKenna Smith 

As loan caps and borrowing limits continue to shape how students finance medical school, scholarships play an increasingly important role in ensuring that students who want to become SLU-trained physicians have the financial means to complete their education.

“I think it will be hard for us to know just how important our medical school experience has been until we’re doing our work every day, and we reflect on how many contributions have been invested in our education,” Smith said. 

That sense of gratitude already inspires her commitment to pay it forward.

“I've received so much financial assistance throughout my education, and it would be lovely to be in a position to be able to do that for someone who comes after me,” she added.