JMSA Mission
The Japanese Medical Society of America (JMSA) was established in 1973 as a nonprofit organization by Japanese medical professionals serving the New York region. Its mission is to support the Japanese and Japanese-American communities through various health-related initiatives.
Our Scholarships
Each year, JMSA, in partnership with our generous donors, supports the education and training of students and postgraduates in various medical fields who demonstrate academic excellence and service to the Japanese community.
JMSA is dedicated to promoting the exchange of medical and educational information between the U.S. and Japan, as well as providing valuable medical information to the general public. Many donors, ranging from private individuals to large corporations, contribute annually to the JMSA scholarship fund to support the education of medical professionals:
- Honjo-JMSA Scholarship
- Mitsui USA-JMSA Scholarship
- Nippon Life-JMSA Scholarship
- Nishioka-JMSA Scholarship
- Karen Michiko Kling-JMSA Scholarship
- Machiko and Kazutaka Mori-JMSA Scholarship
- Kinichi and Toyoko Shibutani-JMSA Scholarship
- MUFG-JMSA Scholarship
By submitting a single application, you will be considered for scholarships from various donor sources. The award amounts vary depending on the donor, ranging in the past from $2,500 to $25,000. When selecting scholarship recipients, JMSA looks for candidates who:
- Demonstrate academic excellence
- Show a strong interest in JMSA and its goals
- Propose a clear, achievable project that will benefit JMSA and the Japanese community
Eligibility
- The applicants must be currently accepted to and/or enrolled in an accredited US healthcare-related graduate program (e.g., medical, dental, nursing, graduate (Masters and/or PhD))
- The scholarship must be applied to tuition for the upcoming academic year (i.e. 2026-2027). Thus, the applicant cannot be in their final year of school when applying for a scholarship.
- The applicant must be a member of JMSA. If you are not yet a member, please apply at www.jmsa.org. Scholarship recipients must renew their membership for the upcoming academic year.
- All scholarship applicants are required to propose and execute a project of their choosing that supports JMSA’s mission. Applicants are encouraged to inquire about possible project ideas when applying. Scholarship recipients will be paired with a JMSA mentor to guide them through their project. Recipients must submit an interim report and a final report on their project’s progress.
- Show a strong interest in JMSA and its goals. Please note that applicants that are already involved with JMSA and its activities may be given preference during the selection process. First time applicants are highly encouraged to get involved.
- Propose a clear, achievable project that will benefit JMSA and the Japanese community. Please feel free to contact the scholarship committee for possible project ideas and opportunities to get involved with JMSA.
Application
Please refer to the application details below.
Before applying, please ensure you have sign up for a JMSA student membership!
In addition to the application form, please submit at least one letter of recommendation. Letters should be sent directly from the recommender via email to:
JMSAScholarship@jmsa.org
The letter of recommendation should come from someone who knows you well and can attest to how you embody JMSA’s goals. Letters in English are preferred, but Japanese is also acceptable.
The application form and recommendation letter(s) must be submitted in full by February 1st to be considered for this scholarship cycle.
In your application, you will be required to briefly describe a project related to JMSA’s mission that you would like to undertake. The project can be anything, but it must align with JMSA’s goals. Examples of past projects include:
- A service connecting elderly Japanese patients with healthcare providers
- A Japanese-language medical blog detailing the experiences of a medical student in the U.S.
- A collaborative website connecting Japanese and American medical students
Projects unrelated to JMSA’s mission or the Japanese community will not be considered.
Announcement of Recipients and Award Ceremony
Scholarship recipients will be announced by the end of June 2026 via email and will be honored at the JMSA Annual Dinner in New York City in 2026.
Awardees are expected to attend the awards ceremony during the annual dinner, which is scheduled on Friday 9/18/2026 at the Metropolitan Club in NYC, where they will have the opportunity to present their project to the scholarship committee.
For inquiries, please contact us at JMSAScholarship@jmsa.org. We look forward to receiving your applications!
JMSA Scholarship Committee Chair,
Sei Higuchi, MD
Kichiemon Asoma, MD