The medical scholarship is worth $20,000 annually for four years for a total of $80,000,
and will pay for half of McAbee's tuition. The Greenville, South Carolina, student said in her scholarship application that
her passion for the medical field and for people has grown exponentially as she has
involved herself in shadowing, volunteering and additional medical-related experiences.
At this point, she is leaning toward becoming a primary care physician or an obstetrics-gynecologist.
ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA - Elizabeth "Liz" McAbee, a Winthrop University senior biology major, was awarded a Fullerton Medical Scholarship to attend the University of South Carolina's School of Medicine — Columbia in the
fall.
The scholarship is worth $20,000 annually for four years for a total of $80,000, and
will pay for half of McAbee's tuition.
The Greenville, South Carolina, student said in her scholarship application that her
passion for the medical field and for people has grown exponentially as she has involved
herself in shadowing, volunteering and additional medical-related experiences. At
this point, she is leaning toward becoming a primary care physician or an obstetrics-gynecologist.
McAbee gained experience working for a year as a medical assistant intern at the York County Free Clinic where she volunteered for more than 100 hours. She also worked a semester-long internship
at the Palmetto Pregnancy Center and achieved basic certification as an emergency medical technician.
Matt Stern, an assistant professor of biology, said, "Liz is an extremely talented student who
has sought out opportunities to serve others and to enrich her Winthrop experience
through participation in numerous extracurricular activities and programs. She is
well suited for a career in medicine and a wonderful role model for other Winthrop
students with similar aspirations. It's awesome to see her accomplishments and potential
recognized with a Fullerton Medical Scholarship."
McAbee conducted stem cell research in Stern's lab for her honors thesis project and
presented her work at the 2017 Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International
Society's Americas Conference in December.
McAbee, who was homeschooled along with her eight siblings until she reached eighth
grade, said she wants to continue work with underserved populations. "Although medicine
is far more complex and impactful than only serving the poor, impoverished, and Spanish-speaking,
I hope that when I become a physician, it will continue to be a main objective of
mine to serve those within these patient populations," she wrote in her application.
"Because of my love for medicine and for people, there is no greater desire of mine
than to become a compassionate, adept physician who will advocate for my patients,
make every patient interaction impactful, and devote my career to serving and healing
others."
The Fullerton Scholarships support the growth and development of medical students who have the potential for
development into a highly capable physician, a concern with the total welfare of the
society of which he/she is an active participant, and an intention to practice in
some form of primary medicine in Upstate South Carolina or Western North Carolina
upon completion of school and training. Because of the size of the award, the scholarships
are very competitive with each medical school in South Carolina and North Carolina
invited to nominate one incoming student for consideration.
For more information, contact Judy Longshaw, news and media services manager, at longshawj@winthrop.edu or at 803/323-2404.
