When Michael Salzano decided to attend Rush Medical College, he followed his love for science. With four years of support from the Medical Staff for Medical Students scholarship, he discovered the calling of psychiatry.
Salzano is an M4 student who hails from Sacramento, California. He was introduced to medicine at a young age by his father, a physician. In his undergraduate studies at the University of Nevada, Reno, he majored in biology and minored in chemistry.
When Salzano decided he wanted to become a doctor, he was drawn to RUSH because of its strong academic focus and commitment to giving back to the community.
“I felt RUSH offered me the greatest resources to seek out my path,” he said. Before deciding on psychiatry, Salzano explored different disciplines, like orthopedics and emergency medicine — even contributing to a few publications in orthopedics research. He said psychiatry was the perfect way to blend his interests in the humanities, science and helping others.
Reflecting on his experiences at RUSH, Salzano fondly remembers bonding with his classmates during their anatomy lab and their clerkship rotations on the night shift.
He said he was able to focus on his studies, genuinely enjoy his educational experiences and look optimistically toward his future because of the support of his scholarship.
“I was constantly thinking about how much debt I would have when I got out and how I would manage it,” he said. “This scholarship cut my burden in half, allowing me to focus more on my education. I think the most important thing about this scholarship is not just the financial aspect; it’s nice to know that we have colleagues who have gone through this, and they’re looking back to see how they can try to help the younger generations. It’s the message that it’s sending to us that is truly special.”
Salzano will soon head to the University of California, San Francisco’s Fresno campus for a psychiatry residency. He looks forward to establishing his career, meeting new people and returning to his home state.
The generosity of medical staff has empowered 12 students to pursue their dreams and receive world-class medical education through half-tuition support since 2016. We have set out to reward new students each year with half-tuition scholarships for their entire medical school experience through the Medical Staff for Medical Students program. To make a meaningful, debt-reducing contribution to a student’s future, visit rush.edu/ms4ms.
