Murfreesboro Medical Clinic and SurgiCenter (MMC) announced that applications are now being accepted for the ‘Drs. David and Yolando Chatman Scholarship’. The scholarship will be awarded to a local college junior, senior or graduate student who is advancing to medical school and is also a member of an ethnic minority group that is often underrepresented in medicine.
MMC named the scholarship after two of its physicians, each known for their impact on the culture, diversity and overall success of Murfreesboro Medical Clinic in their 25+ years with the clinic.
Yolando McGriff-Chatman, M.D. joined Murfreesboro Medical Clinic in 1996 as an Obstetrician and Gynecologist and later practiced Gynecology only. David Chatman, M.D., a Vascular Surgeon, joined MMC a couple of years later as a member of its Surgery Department. Through the years, they have mentored many students on their paths to medical school. The couple plans to retire from the practice of medicine and MMC in May and move to Ohio to be closer to their daughter as she begins her medical career.
“Both David and Yolando have dedicated their careers to providing their patients and this community with the highest levels of care,” said Joey Peay, MMC’s Chief Executive Officer. “As we considered what to name our scholarship, it made sense to honor those two individuals who have served as important role models in our Clinic and in the overall medical community. Their compassion and their commitment to helping develop the skills of other physicians, especially minority physicians, should be an example for all of us to follow. We, as an organization, are thankful for their leadership, and they will be missed at MMC and in the Murfreesboro medical community.”
What inspired the scholarship?
In 2020, the physicians at Murfreesboro Medical Clinic and SurgiCenter established The MMC Foundation (a 501(c)(3)charitable foundation) to advance its mission to foster continuous improvement in the community’s health. The MMC Foundation partnered with MMC’s Diversity Committee, led by Dr. David Chatman for the past 3 years, to develop a scholarship for local students who are advancing to medical school and who are also members of ethnic groups that are underrepresented in the medical profession.
The scholarship was inspired by Rutherford County’s own Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship Fund (created by the late Dr. George Smith and Mary Scales), which was created in 1984 to help address concerns regarding the African American achievement gap in the local community.
“Representation matters,” said Dr. Chatman. “There are physical, educational, social, and economic barriers which serve to dissuade diverse students from seeking leadership opportunities and membership within dissimilar communities. Diversity in representation helps to break these barriers down, and helps to normalize and realize the American dream for all Americans.”
Criteria for the scholarship can be found online at www.mmclinic.com/scholarship. Applications must be submitted by March 1, 2022 to be considered.
Murfreesboro Medical Clinic is a multi-specialty, physician-owned medical practice, committed to offering patients the best of both primary and specialty care within their community. Visit mmclinic.com for more information.