TriStar Health, an affiliate of HCA Healthcare, announced Sept. 23 a gift of $600,000 to Meharry Medical College to support paid internship and scholarship opportunities over four years for graduate students in the School of Applied Computational Sciences (SACS). This investment is part of HCA Healthcare’s $10 million pledge to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs).
“We are thrilled to continue our support of Meharry Medical College and provide additional opportunities for graduate students to further their education through scholarships and internships. Our organization is committed to increasing access to healthcare careers across the Middle Tennessee community,” said Mitch Edgeworth, president of the HCA Healthcare TriStar Division.
Meharry Medical College is one of the nation’s oldest and largest historically Black academic health science centers. In addition to a medical school, Meharry is home to a dental school, graduate school, and applied computational sciences school. Founded in 2021, Meharry’s SACS offers both M.S. and Ph.D. Data Science and Biomedical Data Science degrees.
This gift will support paid internships annually for students in Meharry’s SACS. Students in good standing will be recommended by SACS faculty for internships in HCA Healthcare’s Information Technology Group (ITG). The gift will also be used to provide scholarships for students enrolled in Meharry’s SACS graduate data science degree programs. Both scholars and interns will have access to recruiting events, year-round leadership development opportunities, and guest lectures.
“HCA Healthcare and TriStar Health’s partnership is a testimony to the importance of educating data science students at Meharry. Thanks to HCA Healthcare’s support, we will educate more students who will ethically apply artificial intelligence – without algorithmic and societal biases – to improve health care,” said Meharry President James E.K. Hildreth, Ph.D., M.D.
“I meet so many bright students from diverse backgrounds whose only barrier to improving health care through data is affording their degree,” said Fortune S. Mhlanga, Ph.D., dean of the School of Applied Computational Sciences. “This scholarship and internship support from a global leader in health care will launch talented students into successful careers.”
HCA Healthcare and TriStar Health have a long-standing relationship, with many Meharry students going on to practice at TriStar Health hospitals. Members of HCA Healthcare leadership have also served on Meharry’s Board of Trustees. In addition, TriStar Health hosts Meharry medical students during their third-year clerkships at TriStar Southern Hills Medical Center for family medicine and TriStar Skyline Medical Center for emergency medicine.
