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in 1960 to the introduction of the Edith Nourse Rogers STEM United States. Her legacy is carried forward in the Forever GI
Scholarship in 2018, medical school tuition and fees increased Bill with the Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship, which
750% to approximately $300,000 per student. 11 became operational on August 1, 2019. Our study revealed
that the Edith Nourse Rogers STEM scholarship has had an
The Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship has the potential alarmingly high rejection rate and low tuition reimbursement
to increase veterans’ access to higher education in medicine rate in the first 2 years since its inception. These findings are
and STEM professions. The present study provides historical concerning and suggest the need for additional scrutiny and
context for the scholarship’s namesake, Edith Nourse Rogers, oversight, as well as a review of eligibility guidelines.
and analyzes the VA’s administration of the program to en­
sure appropriate oversight and resource allocation. Following Specifically, there is likely confusion among veterans in health­
this brief analysis, we summarize the eligibility criteria for the care professional degree programs regarding the scholarship’s
Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship and address recent coverage of clinical training. The legislation has two stipu­
legislative efforts to amend the program. Finally, we provide lations that limit military veterans’ eligibility and warrant
recommendations for optimizing the Edith Nourse Rogers additional discussion: 1) to be eligible, veteran healthcare
STEM Scholarship for veterans in graduate degree programs professionals must have already earned their respective grad­
and healthcare professions. uate degree, and 2) they must be in “clinical training required
by a health care professional to be licensed to practice in a
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While these policies apply broadly to all military veterans using State or locality.” For veteran physicians­in­training, these
the Post 9/11 GI Bill, there are a number of STEM programs eligibility criteria mean that clinical rotations during medical
that present unique opportunities for the Special Operations school, the most costly portion of training, do not qualify for
community. For physicians­in­training, there is West Virginia the scholarship. However, medical residencies (after medical
University School of Medicine’s Special Operations Medic degree conferment) are eligible. Similar distinctions can be
Pipeline (SOM­P) program and the Zucker School of Medicine made for graduate education and postgraduate clinical train­
at Hofstra/Northwell’s linkage program for Special Operations ing for veteran nurses, physician assistants, and other health­
personnel. University of North Carolina’s physician assistant care professionals.
program similarly grants admissions preference to Special Op­
erations medics and veterans who served in a medical capacity. The 2020 STEM Designated Degree Program List with the
The relevance of the Edith Nourse STEM Scholarship for the list of eligible US Department of Education’s Classification of
Special Operations community is further heightened follow­ Instructional Programs substantiates this interpretation of the
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ing the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act, which ap­ law. The STEM Designated Degree Program List, however, is
proved a pilot program for Special Operations medics to earn somewhat of a misnomer, as the degree program must be com­
credit toward a physician assistant master’s degree through plete before veterans’ eligibility can begin. Once approved for
their prior military service. 12 the Edith Nourse Rogers STEM scholarship, veterans are eli­
gible for up to nine months of additional GI Bill funding or up
to a $30,000 stipend, whichever is of lesser value. As a result,
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Methods
military veterans who exhaust GI Bill benefits during under­
Congressional and VA archival documents were reviewed to graduate premedical education will have gaps in GI Bill support
describe Edith Nourse Rogers’ contribution to the history of during graduate school only to become eligible during postgrad­
veterans’ healthcare and medical education. Relevant legisla­ uate clinical training. This is counterintuitive, as postgraduate
tion, including the Supporting Veterans in STEM Careers Act clinical training programs are (nearly universally) salaried posi­
signed into law in February 2020, was also analyzed in de­ tions, whereas graduate degrees involve paying tuition.
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veloping the recommendations of this Editorial. The present
study also investigated the first two years of the Edith Nourse
Rogers STEM Scholarship via a Freedom of Information Act Conclusions and Recommendations
(FOIA) request. The FOIA request solicited data concerning Ahead of her time, Edith Nourse Rogers advanced causes for
the number of applications, budget and money allocated to the women and veterans, and the STEM provision of the Forever
program by fiscal year. GI Bill named in her honor reflects her lasting impact on US
medical education. Further investigation into the VA’s high
rate of denied applications is needed, as the scholarship is cur­
Results
rently not living up to the vision and legacy of its namesake.
In fiscal year (FY) 2019, 599 of 1,337 applications (44.8%) for
the Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship were denied by the The current eligibility requirements limit the utility of the
VA. Similarly, in FY2020, 5,655 of 8,102 (69.8%) of applica­ Edith Nourse Rogers STEM scholarship for healthcare profes­
tions were denied. According to the legislation, up to $25 mil­ sionals. In its current form, it is not designed as an educational
lion was appropriated for use by veterans in FY2019 and up to scholarship for healthcare professionals but rather as a stipend
$75 million was budgeted for in FY2020. However, in response for postgraduate training. This is putting the cart before the
to the FOIA, no money ($0, or 0% of $25 million budget) was horse, as support is needed most during graduate education,
sent to veterans in FY2019 and $18.4 million (24.5% of $75 not after. The authors encourage Congress and the VA to re­
million budget) was sent to veterans in FY2020. view eligibility requirements and expand support to student
veterans who are in good standing in full­time graduate STEM
degree programs, including healthcare professionals.
Discussion
Edith Nourse Rogers is a historic figure for women in the This recommendation to expand eligibility is consistent with the
military, veterans’ education, and veterans’ healthcare in the strategic plan published by the Interagency Working Group on

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