$1B donation makes New York medical school tuition free and transforms students’ lives

UNDATED (AP)- Students at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine say they can give up their part-time jobs, focus on their studies and reconsider the kind of medicine they hope to practice thanks to a generous donation to their New York school. Former professor Ruth Gottesman announced Monday (Feb. 26, 2024) that she is donating $1 billion, making the school in the Bronx tuition free. Astonished students and faculty jumped to their feet at the announcement, some cheering, some in tears. Current tuition at the school is $63,000, which can leave graduating students with mountains of debt. The Education Data Initiative says medical graduates on average leave school with $202,453 in debt.