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Norm Payson – Supporting Students’ Dreams in Medicine

In this video, Norm Payson, MD (Med '73), talks about how his own experience as a scholarship student at Dartmouth inspired him to donate funds to help ease the pressures of debt for medical  students at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth.

"I was a scholarship student myself, as I didn’t have the financial means to go to medical school. The medical school helped me…so that was heavy on my mind and I felt a need to do something in kind.  I always feel very good about being able to contribute to the medical school.  It's hard to find a better purpose.  For medical students, Dartmouth is just a wonderful environment to be in."

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Philanthropy in Action:

"Attending medical school would have been impossible for me without scholarship support, as I am from a humble background and am raising two children as I go through school," says Jody Epstein, a 2014 Geisel graduate and native of Concord, NH. "I am immensely grateful to scholarship donors like the Paysons for the honor of my medical education. I would not be able to have the pleasure of learning science and serving patients, without scholarships.

"Receiving scholarship support also means that my medical debt is much more manageable. I can now commit to primary care—which is not the most lucrative medical specialty—without being as concerned about earnings down the road. There is no question in my mind that taking care of the most poor and vulnerable populations is the right thing to do," says Epstein.

Payson and his wife Melinda have donated a total of $3.5 million dollars in scholarship funds that will continue to benefit Geisel students. The Payson's most recent gift of $1 million dollars will benefit students from New Hampshire.  Norm Payson is the Chairman and CEO of Apria Healthcare Group, and is also a member of Geisel’s Board of Overseers.