The University of Toledo

Medical Student's Legacy Lives On Through Scholarship

Amie Litzinger was in her last year of medical school when she died in January, following an illness associated with a genetic heart disease.

“The UT College of Medicine and Life Sciences Class of 2013 lost a respected colleague and a trusted friend in the death of Amie Litzinger,” said Allie Berns, assistant director of annual giving for UT’s Health Science Campus. “Her passing has left a huge void and immense sadness in many hearts.”

In honor of Amie’s memory, her friends and family have created the Amie J. Litzinger MD Class of 2013 Endowed Scholarship Fund. The scholarship will offer a worthy and needy recipient the opportunity to attend the UT School of Medicine     and Life Sciences.

“Amie’s scholarship will be awarded each year to a student who has demonstrated, through a record of volunteerism and community involvement, that he or she will follow in Amie’s footsteps,” Mrs. Berns said.

Amie received her master’s of science degree in biomedical science from UT in 2009, graduating summa cum laude. She attended the UT Medical School while doing rotations at several Toledo area hospitals. She would have graduated from UT, with a doctorate of medicine, in June 2013.

Amie believed “there was no other place on earth where she could get a better education,” according to her father, Thomas Litzinger. “She believed UT was academically preparing her in a significant way for a long and prosperous career in the medical profession, and she wanted to continue her residency education in Toledo.”

He said Amie loved her fellow students in the class of 2013. “She told me many times that she could not have been successful without her classmates’ friendship and loyal support,” he said. “What an incredible group of young people, whom I am confident will be excellent physicians for many years.”

Amie was awarded her medical degree posthumously, along with her graduating class.

Among Mr. Litzinger’s goals is that this scholarship fund will create and preserve a living legacy for Amie. “My hope would be to see the recipient of this scholarship share Amie’s professional and spiritual convictions and be completely focused with providing their patients the best care possible in a compassionate manner.”

He also hopes it can help create an awareness of the rapidly sky-rocketing cost of medical school and an understanding that, without scholarship assistance, students who might make excellent physicians may not have the financial means to do so.

In addition, Mr. Litzinger would like to see UT widely recognized for the “excellent learning institution that it is.”

“Amie often shared with me that UT’s faculty, staff, and administration were kind and considerate and had the best interest at heart for all of their students,” said Mr. Litzinger. “I am grateful for everything they did, not only to train Amie in her profession, but also to develop her as an individual. I was pleased to watch the personal growth of Amie as a loving, caring person who was constantly placing the needs of others before her own.”

Mr. Litzinger was gratified to be able to share part of his life, and his daughter’s, with friends at UT. “I am forever in their debt for everything they did for my daughter Amie. She was a remarkable person, thanks, in part, to her time at UT’s College of Medicine and Life Sciences.”

To make a gift, visit https://give2ut.utoledo.edu/litzinger.asp or contact Allie Berns at allison.berns@utoledo.edu or 419-530-5414.