Scholarship Overview

What the scholarship offers

The Shi Wen-Ling Scholarship is for recent Taiwan medical school graduates pursuing graduate study in the United States. Each scholar receives application support, six months of preparation in Taiwan, and 18 months of funded study at Stanford or Duke. Total support of up to NTD $5,000,000 per scholar.

​

The scholarship is run by the Andrew T. Huang Medical Education Promotion Fund. It exists thanks to a gift from Mr. Wu (吳志偉) and his family in memory of Mrs. Shi Wen-Ling (石文姈), and supports at least two scholars each year.

 

How the program works

Apply. Recent Taiwan medical school graduates submit applications by September 1 of each year.

 

Selection and US application support. Selected scholars work with us on their applications to Stanford or Duke. This includes essay coaching, interview preparation, and a clear-eyed look at what these programs are looking for. Every scholar we've selected has been admitted.

 

Six months in Taiwan. After admission to Stanford or Duke, scholars enter a six-month preparation phase while still in Taiwan. The work is mentorship-driven, with sessions on healthcare leadership, systems thinking, and quality improvement. Increasingly, our focus is on artificial intelligence and how it's reshaping each scholar's specific field, so they arrive in the US ready to lead in that change rather than be caught off guard by it. In parallel, scholars join weekly Zoom meetings with the current Shi Scholars cohort already in the US, meet their mentors, and scope research projects. This phase is unfunded.

 

Eighteen months in the US. Scholars travel to Stanford or Duke and begin their master's program. The scholarship covers tuition, a living stipend, airfare, and faculty mentorship. If the degree extends beyond 18 months, the scholar self-funds the additional time.

 

Tracks

Each scholar pursues one of three tracks at Stanford or Duke. The choice is made during the application process, based on the scholar's research interests and career direction.

​

Health Policy. Master's in Health Policy at Stanford. Focuses on clinical decision making, empirical methods, health policy, and implementation science. Suited to scholars who want to influence how healthcare is organized, paid for, and delivered at the system level.

 

Clinical Research and Epidemiology. MS in Clinical Research and Epidemiology at Stanford. Trains scholars as clinical investigators with skills essential to patient-oriented research, including epidemiologic methods and statistical analysis. Suited to scholars who want to do rigorous research that bridges clinical practice and population health.

 

Bioethics and Science Policy. MA in Bioethics and Science Policy at Duke. Trains scholars to navigate the ethical dimensions of healthcare and emerging technologies, with particular focus on issues like medical AI, genomics, and clinical research integrity. Suited to scholars working at the intersection of medicine, technology, and policy.

 

Funding

The scholarship covers tuition, a living stipend, and airfare for the 18-month US portion of the program. Faculty mentorship from Stanford or Duke is included throughout.

 

Total support reaches up to NTD $5,000,000 per scholar, subject to a coverage application that scholars complete after admission. Coverage is provided based on need and where not already supplied by other financial aid. If the master's degree takes longer than 18 months to complete, the scholar self-funds the additional time.

 

The six-month preparation phase in Taiwan is unfunded. Scholars are typically working clinically during this period.

 

Who can apply

Applicants must be physicians who have graduated from a Taiwan medical school. The program is designed for recent graduates and early-career physicians who want to use graduate-level training to make an impact on healthcare leadership, policy, or research in Taiwan.

 

Applications for the next cohort are due September 1, 2026.