Dr. James P. Griffith and his wife Marla have established the Dr. James P. and Marla R. Griffith Mountaineer Medical Scholar program. A $20,000 commitment, the scholarship will be awarded to a student who chooses to further his or her education on the West Virginia University Health Sciences Charleston Campus, with preference given to those from West Virginia and/or Roane County and who have an interest in internal medicine and/or psychiatry.

“I have loved my time learning and working at the Charleston Division and CAMC for my entire career,” Dr. Griffith said. “As a graduate and former director of the oldest combined Internal Medicine/Psychiatry residency program in the U.S., I have devoted my career to the practice and teaching of these specialties. I consider it a privilege to provide care to the people of the Charleston area as well as many from Roane County where Marla was born and raised. We are excited to be able to provide financial support for students on our campus who are planning careers in these areas of medical practice.”

The Mountaineer Medical Scholar program is an opportunity for donors to support medical students with a gift of $20,000, which is then matched by the School of Medicine, thus providing $40,000 to assist in covering the cost of tuition and medical school expenses.

An experienced teacher, mentor, author and researcher, Dr. Griffith is passionate about his work, and works tirelessly to ensure his students possess the qualities needed to be competent, compassionate physicians.

Dr. Griffith, a 1985 graduate of the School of Medicine in Morgantown, is a Charleston native and currently serves as Associate Dean of student services and Chair for the Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry in Charleston.

Each year, 70-to-80 students and more than 150 residents further their educations on the Charleston campus.

For more information regarding the Mountaineer Medical Scholar program or to make a gift, contact Renee Gorrell, director of development, at 304.347.1231 or rcgorrell@hsc.wvu.edu; or make a secure credit card donation online.

This gift was made through the WVU Foundation, the non-profit organization that solicits and administers private donations on behalf of the University.