Vincent Accardi, MD, Endowed Medical Student Scholarship Fund

The Vincent Accardi, MD, Endowed Medical Student Scholarship Fund was established in 2005 after the passing of Dr. Accardi, a 1933 Rush Medical College alumnus.

The Accardi family has a rich philanthropic legacy at Rush. The funding for this scholarship came from Dr. Accardi’s two sisters, the late Mary Accardi Damiano and Rose Accardi. A bequest from Dr. Accardi’s own estate established another scholarship at Rush, the Marianna Accardi Endowed Scholarship Fund, to honor the matriarch of the Accardi family.

Born in the U.S. to Italian immigrants, Dr. Accardi’s family moved back to Italy when he was a young child. Dr. Accardi returned to the U.S. for his undergraduate education in New York City. After completing medical school and his residency at Rush at the height of the depression Dr. Accardi decided to work for the government. The Department of Interior placed him with an Indian reservation in New Mexico. Originally, he intended to stay for just one year, but he opened up a medical practice in Gallup, New Mexico, where he ended up treating patients for over 50 years. In addition to his practice, Dr. Accardi practiced as an abdominal surgeon at McKinley General Hospital, eventually serving as chief of the medical staff.

Dr. Accardi is remembered for treating multiple generations of families in New Mexico and providing compassionate care to those from all walks of life.