A scholarship program that has provided more than $1 million in direct support to Iowa hospital workers over the past 13 years to continue their education will expand to assist more students in 2018. 

The Iowa Hospital Association plans to award 50 $3,500 scholarships next year through its Health Care Careers Scholarship Program, which is funded through the Iowa Hospital Education Research Foundation. The IHA had been awarding 34 scholarships annually. 

The scholarships are funded by the IHA’s annual golf outing in July, said Kirk Norris, the association’s president. “The financial success (of the golf outing) is the reason we’ve been able to expand the scholarship program,” he said. 

The program is focused on addressing the ongoing shortage of health care professionals in Iowa. Each recipient is eligible to receive $7,000 in total assistance over two years, with a commitment to continue working at an Iowa hospital for at least two additional years. The scholarships are awarded primarily to current hospital staff members, such as registered nurses returning to school to complete a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. 

“It’s a very competitive process,” Norris said. “We actually use a scoring system that’s very objective that looks at grade-point average and recommendations.” Applicants also write a personal essay highlighting their community involvement. 

The first scholarships were awarded in 2005, and since then 399 students have received scholarships. Of those, more than 200 are working in hospitals across the state, according to figures tracked by the foundation. 

Online applications for 2018 scholarships will be accepted beginning Dec. 1 and will be taken through March 30. Recipients will be announced in May.