UM School of Medicine Rural-MD Scholars Program Receives $2.4 Million Scholarship Endowment from Philip A. Zaffere Foundation

The Philip A. Zaffere Foundation, based on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, donated  $2.4 million to the University of Maryland Rural-MD Scholars Program to support two full-tuition scholarships for incoming program medical students. The Rural-MD Scholars program aims to address the physician shortage in the region which is home to nearly 500,000 residents. On a national scale, the U.S. could face a shortage of up to 84,000 physicians in the next decade with more than one-third of active physicians expected to retire.  

The foundation, which focuses its philanthropy primarily on education, human services and community projects, is named for Philip Zaffere, an Eastern Shore entrepreneur and food production engineer who transformed his family's small bakery into a nationally-recognized enterprise.

The gift was donated in recognition of financial challenges faced by medical students and to help increase the number of physicians practicing in the rural Eastern Shore area of Maryland as part of the Rural-MD Scholars program that was launched last year. The 12 students who currently have these scholarships have committed to a minimum of four years of practice in a clinical healthcare center located on the shore upon completing their residency training in either primary care or a specialty.

“The Eastern Shore was not only Philip Zaffere’s home, but it was a place he loved and was committed to help sustain and improve,” said Phyllis C. Friedman and Louis F. Friedman, trustees of the Foundation who made the donation. “This program, which will enable the University of Maryland Medical School to educate additional medical students who might not otherwise be able to afford the cost, also has the potential to vastly improve the level of medical care available on the whole Eastern Shore. It is truly an innovative program, and it is an honor as his Trustees to help facilitate it with this grant.”

Scholarship funding has come from the state as well as from philanthropic donors. The program’s long-term goal is to ultimately support 10 Rural-MD scholars per year with 10 full in-state tuition scholarships. (See this story on philanthropic support for more details on the named scholarships.)

Almost the entire Eastern Shore is designated by the federal government as a medically underserved area with residents experiencing long provider wait times or needing to drive an hour or more to local cities to get their healthcare. All five of the state’s counties with the fewest primary care physicians per capita are on the Eastern Shore, with Caroline County having the greatest need with only one provider per 2,500 residents.

“We are deeply grateful for the support of the Philip A. Zaffere Foundation in helping our students fulfill their commitment to ensuring that Eastern Shore residents receive the medical care they need to live healthy, thriving lives,” said Leah Millstein, MD, Rural-MD Program Director and Associate Professor of Medicine at UMSOM. “The reach and impact of this program would not be possible without the dedication of community members and our partners.”

Since its launch, the program has established several partnerships with local physicians and health organizations to provide students with various clinical experiences in rural health throughout their training including the Maryland Rural Council, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH), TidalHealth, the Dorchester, Somerset, and Wicomico County Health Departments, Eastern Shore Area Health Education Center (EAHEC) and the Maryland Area Health Education Center (MAHEC).

“We are so grateful for the generous support of the Philip A. Zaffere Foundation as we continue to look for committed partners for our Rural-MD Program,” said Dean Mark T. Gladwin, MD, who is also the Vice President for Medical Affairs at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, and the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor and Dean. “With four counties on the Eastern Shore among the top five in Maryland for infant and child mortality, we must continue to address the crucial need to expand the physician workforce in our rural communities.”

Mr. Zaffere was born in 1930 in Federalsburg, MD, a small town in Caroline County on the Eastern Shore. Under his leadership, his family business, Zaffere’s Bakery, evolved into Shoreman Food Technologies and became a key supplier for major brands such as Stove Top Stuffing and Mrs. Paul’s frozen foods.

Although the demands of the family business interrupted his college studies, Mr. Zaffere maintained a lifelong passion for science and engineering, along with a strong commitment to education and community service. The Philip A. Zaffere Foundation continues to support UMSOM and also endowed the Philip A. Zaffere Distinguished Professorship in Regenerative Medicine in 2022.