News

Anna Schmidt ‘25 has been named a Torrison Scholar, receiving the top award of $15,000 from the Dr. George and Emma J. Torrison Scholarship Fund. Distributed by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the scholarship supports students pursuing careers in medicine, with particular emphasis on those whose work aims to alleviate currently incurable diseases. 

Schmidt is among the many St. Olaf College graduates who continue to find success in medical school admissions. The Piper Center for Vocation and Career, 77% of St. Olaf’s competitive medical school applicants in the 2023-24 application cycle were accepted — competitive applicants are defined as students with a GPA of 3.7 or higher and an MCAT score of 510 or above.

“Being chosen as a Torrison Scholar is an immense honor, and affirms my calling to practice medicine,” Schmidt says. “I grew up in an ELCA congregation, where my church community nurtured my understanding of compassion, service, and care for others. These values guided my path to a career in medicine, making the ELCA’s support of my medical education particularly meaningful. It feels like a full-circle moment to receive this gift from the faith community that fostered my commitment to a career of caring for others.”

The news of her selection for the award came as she prepares to begin medical school at the University of Minnesota this fall, affirming a calling that has been years in the making.

“When I received the email from [executive director of the Network of ELCA Colleges and Universities] Rev. Lamont Wells saying I had been selected as a Torrison Scholar, I was elated and grateful — to receive such generous support as I begin my studies in medicine,” she recalls. “I am thankful to the Torrisons for their generous investment in the education of future physicians, and to the ELCA for offering this wonderful scholarship program.”

For Schmidt, the desire to become a physician crystallized during one of her first clinical shadowing experiences in a pediatric cardiovascular intensive care unit the summer before sophomore year. She watched physicians care for infants recovering from open-heart surgery while providing their families with emotional aid. 

“As I watched the team of providers determine complex diagnoses, make thoughtful plans for recovery, and guide families through difficult and vulnerable moments, I realized I want to be part of this work,” she says.

That commitment deepened during St. Olaf’s Mayo Health Scholars Program, where Schmidt conducted clinical oncology research investigating immunotherapy treatments for chordoma, a rare and, at this time, incurable bone cancer affecting the skull and spine. The experience reinforced her interest in researching terminal illnesses while witnessing firsthand the importance of clinical innovation. 

“I am interested in continuing research in oncology — and particularly in chordoma — having seen the impact research has for patients with incurable diseases,” Schmidt says. “Many chordoma patients I saw in the clinic had tried all available therapies and were placing their hopes in novel studies, motivating me to continue the search for cures.”

Schmidt remains open to where medical school will lead her, and while she is considering specializing in cardiology, endocrinology, or oncology, she is also interested in family medicine, because of the opportunity to build long-term relationships with patients. 

She credits St. Olaf’s liberal arts pedagogy with preparing her to approach medicine through multiple perspectives. Coursework, study abroad experiences in Australia and New Zealand, leadership in the St. Olaf Band, research opportunities through the Mayo Health Scholars Program, and mentoring from faculty and staff all shaped her approach to patient care. 

“At St. Olaf, I learned to integrate, rather than separate, the many ways we view the world — a critical approach to the practice of medicine,” Schmidt says. “[St. Olaf] prepared me not only to be a thoughtful problem-solver and critical thinker, but to approach patient care with creativity, compassion, and an integration of disciplines.”

This fall, Schmidt will bring the skills she developed on the Hill to her studies at the University of Minnesota Medical School. Over her past gap year, she has worked as a medical scribe in emergency departments throughout the Twin Cities metro area while volunteering with Our Lady of Peace residential hospice, experiences she says have strengthened her commitment to medicine and solidified her aspirations for her future career. 

“I hope to make a difference for my patients by providing compassionate care — building empathetic relationships with them and committing to walk beside each patient, even when the road is difficult or uncertain,” Schmidt says.”I want to see each patient holistically, understanding how social, environmental, and economic factors intersect to influence their health. I aspire to make a difference through teaching, whether making health-related information clearer and more manageable for my patients, advocating for increased health education for underserved communities, or mentoring medical students and residents. Above all, I aim to make a difference by ensuring each of my patients is heard, respected, and supported, no matter their circumstances.”