NYU Long Island School of Medicine Receives $200 Million Gift from Kenneth and Elaine Langone

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Jul 21, 2023, 12:00 ET

Landmark Contribution to Ensure Full-Tuition Scholarships and School Focused on Primary Care to be Renamed NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine

MINEOLA, N.Y., July 21, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- A transformative $200 million gift to NYU Long Island School of Medicine will ensure generations of medical students continue to receive a tuition-free, top-quality education focused on primary care. The gift from Kenneth and Elaine Langone extends the school's guarantee of full-tuition scholarships to every student, regardless of need, in perpetuity. Expanding opportunities to future doctors will also help expand access to medical care across Long Island, the entire New York metropolitan area, and beyond.

In conjunction with the donation, the school will be renamed NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine in honor of Robert I. Grossman, MD, CEO of NYU Langone Health and dean of the highly-ranked NYU Grossman School of Medicine in Manhattan.

"By providing our future doctors with an affordable education, we are investing in a brighter and healthier future for all, particularly here on Long Island, where Elaine and I grew up," said Mr. Langone, chair of the NYU Langone Board of Trustees. "Providing a world-class, tuition-free medical education here on Long Island ensures many of these future doctors will remain and practice on Long Island. None of this would have been possible without Bob Grossman's visionary leadership shaping the future of medicine."

Earlier today, the Langones announced the gift and new name at NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine's annual White Coat Ceremony, during which incoming students ascend to the stage where a member of the faculty cloaks them in their white coats for the first time, symbolizing the beginning of their formal medical education.

"This extraordinary gift from Ken and Elaine ensures that, just like today's entering class, students for generations to come can follow their passion for medicine, regardless of their background and financial status," Dr. Grossman said. "Our goal has always been to offer exceptional opportunities to the most talented students. The focus on primary care at NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine also allows them to meet a critical need in our local communities and have a real impact. I wish each of them great success on the wonderful path they have chosen."

Innovating Medical Education

Established just four years ago, NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine has quickly positioned itself at the forefront of innovation in medical education. The school has distinguished itself by offering an accelerated three-year MD curriculum focused on training primary care physicians, attracting bright minds from diverse backgrounds. Eighty-five percent of the school's graduates remain in New York for their training after graduation.

This current gift advances a longstanding commitment to ensure the affordability of medical school and to advance healthcare on Long Island. In 2018, NYU Grossman School of Medicine in Manhattan made the historic announcement offering full-tuition scholarships to every current and future student, the culmination of over a decade of fundraising efforts led by Dr. Grossman and the Langones.

When NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine opened in 2019, it did so with the same guarantee of full-tuition scholarships to current students, although the original endowment did not cover this support in perpetuity – until now. As a result of the Langones' generosity, all future students will benefit from this effort, avoiding approximately $200,000 in debt, the median amount determined by the Association of American Medical Colleges. The yearly tuition costs covered by the scholarship at NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine total $59,738.

"With this gift, NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine will continue to attract the brightest minds from diverse backgrounds, fostering a new generation of healthcare professionals who will make significant contributions to improving the health and well-being of our communities," said Gladys M. Ayala, MD, MPH, dean of NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine. "Our students have the opportunity to receive a world-class education without the burden of overwhelming student debt."

Opening Doors for Future Physicians

NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine's incoming Class of 2026 comprises 24 students pursuing careers in internal medicine, pediatrics, general surgery, and obstetrics and gynecology.

Among the students present for the White Coat Ceremony announcement was Lewam Ghirmay, whose family is here from Ethiopia to attend the ceremony. "Honestly, the free tuition is critical for me to go into primary care," she said.

SOURCE NYU Langone Health