Albert Einstein College of Medicine to provide free tuition for all students in perpetuity

Montefiore medical tuition announcement

The transformational gift for the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx is the largest made to any medical school in the country.

NEW YORK - Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx will provide free tuition for all medical school students in perpetuity, thanks to a billion-dollar donation.

Students clapped, cheered and hugged one another Monday morning when former professor Dr. Ruth L. Gottesman, 93, announced her historic donation to the Montefiore Health System medical school.

Students clap and cheer after Gottesman announces the donation.

It is the largest donation made to any medical school in the country, according to Montefiore, and will ensure that no student at the college will have to pay tuition again.

"[Students] leave as superbly trained scientists and compassionate and knowledgeable physicians, with the expertise to find new ways to prevent diseases and provide the finest health care to communities here in the Bronx and all over the world," Gottesman said in her statement.

Professor Emerita of Pediatrics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and The Lizette H. Sarnoff Award recipient Ruth L. Gottesman, Ed.D. attends the Spirit of Achievement Luncheon held at The Rainbow Room on May 17, 2016 in New York City.

According to the New York Times, she donated $1 billion, a fortune that came from her late husband David "Sandy" Gottesman, a former Wall Street financier.

"I am very thankful to my late husband, Sandy, for leaving these funds in my care, and l feel blessed to be given the great privilege of making this gift to such a worthy cause," Gottesman said.

Gottesman joined Einstein's Children's Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center back in 1968. Throughout her 55-year career, Gottesman studied learning disabilities, developed a screening test and ran literacy programs, according to the NY Times.

Her gift is intended to attract people who may not otherwise have the means to pursue a medical education.

"This donation radically revolutionizes our ability to continue attracting students who are committed to our mission, not just those who can afford it," said Dr. Yaron Tomer, dean of Albert Einstein College of Medicine. "Additionally, it will free up and lift our students, enabling them to pursue projects and ideas that might otherwise be prohibitive."