Donors are being sought to support an annual scholarship to help students pursue medical careers.

The L.D. Britt M.D. Scholarship Fund provides scholarships to outstanding minority students interested in medical school. A Suffolk native, Britt is professor and chairman of the Department of Surgery at Eastern Virginia Medical School.

One minority student in each year of the four-year medical program is expected to receive a scholarship of up to $10,000. This support has allowed recipients to pursue medical careers across the country and become superb professionals.

“The L.D. Britt Scholarship M.D. Scholarship will allow me not only to focus on my medical training by defraying the forthcoming debt service that comes along with the rising cost of a medical education but also to engage first-hand with one of the pioneers in the medical field of surgery,” scholarship recipient Dr. Rita Reid of the University of Virginia School of Medicine stated in an annual funding appeal.

“I am humbly awed by Dr. Britt’s fortitude and compassion to serve, and as an aspiring surgeon myself, look forward to the mentorship that accompanies the scholarship.”

These scholarships are made possible by donations from supporters, with levels of sponsorship range from $65 to $5,000. Donations are being requested to support scholarships awards before the second semester begins in January, according to EVMS administrator Lovie Brown.

The annual October scholarship dinner was canceled to ensure that all proceeds go to fund the scholarships, Brown said.

“It offers financial aid to those who otherwise would not be able to afford their tuition and do what they want to do,” Brown said. “A lot of people cannot afford to go to college or medical school. It aids them in being able to move forward and earn their dreams.”

Donations can be mailed with “The L.D. Britt, M.D. Scholarship Fund” to P.O. Box 11206 Norfolk, VA 23517, or online at ldbrittmdscholarshipfund.org.