Massachusetts Medical Benevolent Society

Celebrating its 150th Year of Assisting Physicians and Their Families

The Massachusetts Medical Benevolent Society has provided grants to physicians and their families experiencing financial difficulty since 1857.

In the first century of the Society, most support was for disabled physicians, widows, and children. Infrequently, an addict to alcohol applied for aid. But in the troubled times of the late 1960s through 1980s substance abuse increased, causing impairment of physician performance so serious that licenses were suspended or revoked by the Board of Registration in Medicine. Unemployment, long and expensive periods of rehabilitation, enormous legal fees, and devastating psychological disruption of family ties resulted. 

Resident physicians who find they are challenged mentally or physically must be terminated as per the regulations of the National Institute of Health grants. Chiefs of services are left without a choice in the matter. As these residents struggle to overcome their disability, they are also faced with the additional burden of trying to meet medical school loans and living expenses at this vulnerable time. The ability of the Benevolent Society to support residents provides the support often necessary to arrange evaluations or to simply meet living expenses. The Benevolent Society, as a consequence, has had a drain on its resources in supporting these physicians with catastrophic career interruptions. 

The major source of support comes from yearly contributions by members of the Massachusetts Medical Society and other physicians. Over the past decades, the Society has provided assistance for hundreds of physicians and their families. Managed care has caused an increase in stress for physicians in practice or residency. The workload and pressure can be overwhelming.

We need your help to financially assist physicians and their families coping with loss and/or recovery. The need is great. We look to you to help your fellow physicians in distress.

Benevolent Society membership dues are tax-deductible. Please consider Society membership in the following categories, or make a memorial or tribute donation. Also, consider a bequest in your estate planning.

• Benefactor ($500 or more)
• Life Member ($250)
• Sustaining Member ($50)
• Contributor (any amount)

Please send your tax-deductible contribution,
along with a membership dues form (.pdf, 75 kb) to:

Massachusetts Medical Benevolent Society
860 Winter Street
Waltham, MA 02451-1414

The grants provide:

• Family care
• Rehabilitation services
• Monitoring programs to support the recovery process
• Medical treatment
• Ongoing chemical testing during and after treatment