Girod Scholarship Provides More Than Financial Support November 6, 2020 A scholarship established more than 20 years ago in Lebanon has helped to bring needed health care to people throughout our region and beyond.. The Girod Medical Scholarship was established by the family of the late Frank Girod, MD, one of the founding physicians of Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital. The Girod family’s goal was to make medical education more affordable for students from east Linn County. Since 1998, 28 medical students have received the scholarship through the Lebanon Community Hospital Foundation and are helping carry on Dr. Girod’s legacy of compassionate care. Chad McBride, MD, was the first recipient and feels the scholarship was an important part of his success as a doctor. “Dr. Girod was my doctor when I was a child,” said Dr. McBride. “I will always remember being reassured by his kindness, soft spoken voice and smile. The connection with Dr. Girod and the scholarship has helped get me through hard times in medical school, residency and in my medical practice. I think about Dr. Girod and his legacy and it provides me with inspiration to keep going.” Originally from Lebanon, Dr. McBride now lives and works in Wenatchee, Washington. COVID-19 has been extremely challenging this agricultural region, hitting the migrant worker population disproportionately and tremendously affecting the hospital and community. “We have had incredible success in treating severely ill COVID-19 patients and many have recovered,” said Dr. McBride. “Sadly, though, we have also seen many deaths and very debilitating outcomes. Part of my work as a hospitalist is doing palliative care. Providing palliative care to these patients and families has been extremely rewarding, but also heartbreaking.” Dr. McBride contributes annually to the Girod Scholarship because he believes the funds offer much more than financial support to medical students. “It is a connection to my hometown,” said McBride. “I encourage others to contribute to the scholarship because our communities need health care providers of all types. Being trained for any health care profession is expensive and difficult. These jobs are hard, important and crucial to our communities. “The scholarship helps to alleviate some of the financial burden, but more than that, it provides the knowledge that you have a group of people rooting for you to become a health care professional and make a difference in your community,” he said. “I truly believe that without the financial, community and social support of the Girod Scholarship, I would not have been able to become a doctor.” For more information or to contribute to the scholarship fund visit samhealth.org/LCHF or call 541-451-7063.
