Alexander Alvarez is the 2023 recipient of the Dr. Sam Goldfein Memorial Scholarship, an annual award given to a University of Arizona medical student who exhibits the compassion, commitment to patient care, humility, desire to learn and leadership qualities exemplified by Goldfein during his lifetime.
Goldfein was a founding professor at University of Arizona College of Medicine and a pioneer of preventative health care. He was a lifelong teacher and learner who was respected and loved by his students.
When Dr. Goldfein passed away, friends and family members established an endowment fund at the Jewish Community Foundation (JCF) in his name to provide financial assistance to a student graduating from the University of Arizona College of Medicine. One of the main criteria for this living memorial is that the candidates exhibit the qualities that Dr. Goldfein exemplified, commitment to patient care and service to the community, with the hope that they will continue to do so thereby carrying on Goldfein’s legacy.
On May 10, 2023, at the University of Arizona Medical Student Award ceremony, Goldfein’s son Dr. Nathan Goldfein and granddaughter Ahava presented the award, a plaque and $2500 to Alvarez. Alvarez graduated from the University of Arizona with a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering and minors in Mathematics and Physiology.
Alvarez completed more than 500 hours of community service in the Commitment to Underserved People (CUP) Program during medical school, a program that Sam Goldfein volunteered for as a mentor.
Alvarez will enter a Family Medicine Residency Program at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center in California.
