Robert O. Banks, PhD (Professor Emeritus, PPN) was Director of Medical Physiology in the College of Medicine for over 40 years and the founding Director of the Special Master’s Program in Physiology, which had its inaugural class in 2006. Dr. Banks and Mrs. Janet G. Banks have generously established an endowed fund to provide for the Dr. Robert O. Banks Endowed Scholarship. A scholarship of $7000 will be awarded to one SMP student for the payment of Spring semester tuition. The scholarship, which is designed to help students in their pursuit of a career in medicine, is based on both financial need and academic standing.

How to Apply:

For 2025: Submit a single PDF to Tracy Yarchi, by 5PM on November 12, 2025, including:

• A brief description of your career aspirations
• Permission for the committee to view your SMP admissions packet, your current SMP academic record, and your Financial Aid ‘need’ score

Applications will be reviewed by a committee of PPN faculty. The recipient will be announced by mid-December, and the scholarship will be applied directly to Spring semester tuition.

For 2026 and beyond: Submit your application for this scholarship when applying to the SMP program. Recipients will be notified before they start the program. The scholarship will be applied directly to Spring semester tuition and will be contingent on the recipient maintaining a high academic standing.

Questions? Reach out to Tracy Yarchi for more information.

Donate to join Dr. and Mrs. Banks in growing this endowed fund so that additional students may be helped.