SHPEP convened its last cohort in the Summer of 2026 after 38 years of supporting students pursuing health professions careers. After many years of support for SHPEP, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), the program's founding partner and core funder, decided to sunset the initiative following careful deliberation and research. The Foundation is now directing its efforts toward strategies aimed at dismantling structural racism in the health sector at the institutional level. The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the American Dental Education Association (ADEA), and RWJF proudly recognize the program’s lasting impact and thousands of students, alumni, organizational partners, and institutional leaders who contributed to its legacy. This website has been preserved as an archival resource to celebrate SHPEP’s history, outcomes, impact, and contributions to the health professions. Learn more about the program’s conclusion in our FAQs.
Interested in becoming an osteopathic physician? Fee waivers are given out to qualified applicants until available funds run out for the cycle. AACOMAS is the centralized online application service for the U.S. colleges of osteopathic medicine.
The AAMC Fee Assistance Program (FAP) assists those who, without financial assistance, would be unable to take the Medical College Admission Test® (MCAT®), apply to medical schools that use the American Medical College Application Service® (AMCAS®), and more.
Interested in becoming a physician assistant? Beginning at the start of the cycle, a limited number of fee waivers are provided to qualified applicants on a first-come, first-served basis. CASPA is a service of the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA), the only national organization representing physician assistant (PA) educational programs since 2001.
In documented cases of severe financial hardship, a limited number of partial fee waivers are available to DAT examinees each calendar year. The DAT is designed to provide optometry education programs with a means to assess program applicants’ potential for success.
The GRE Fee Reduction Program provides a substantial discount on the test fee to individuals who can demonstrate financial need, individuals who are unemployed and receiving unemployment compensation, and national programs that work with underrepresented groups, first-generation college students, and students with financial need.
There are many ways to learn about the different health professions. The SHPEP National Program Office encourages using the resources below when discussing potential career pathways with your prehealth advisor.
NursingCAS offers income-based and service-based fee waivers for applicants. Determine your eligibility and request a fee waiver today! Information is also available on AACN’s Scholarships & Funding webpage.
In documented cases of severe financial hardship, a limited number of partial fee waivers are available to OAT examinees each calendar year. The OAT is designed to provide optometry education programs with a means to assess program applicants’ potential for success.