Scholarship Adds to Family Legacy
Dr. Paul Sygall, and his wife, Stacy, endow a scholarship in gratitude for the support he received as a medical student
By Debby Teich
Photography by Bill Cardoni
Stacy and Paul Sygall, B.S.’92, M.D.’95
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aul Sygall, B.S.’92, M.D.’95, not only earned his degrees at the University of Miami, but also did his residency and fellowship at the University of Miami/Jackson Health System. In gratitude to the U for providing opportunities when he was a student, he and his wife, Stacy, are paying it forward by establishing the Sygall Family Endowed Medical Scholarship at the Miller School. The scholarship will be awarded to academically gifted medical students who have an interest in serving the community.
“My academic scholarship opened doors by easing the financial burden when I was a student,” said Dr. Sygall, an anesthesiologist in Greenwich, Connecticut. “We want to do the same for promising medical students who face financial hurdles.”
He credits the education and training he received at the UM/Jackson Health System with providing a solid foundation for his career. His interest in anesthesia was piqued when he studied under George Bikhazi, M.D., who at the time was head of pediatric anesthesiology at Jackson Memorial Hospital and clinical research in the Miller School’s Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Medicine and Pain Management.
“We treated a large volume of diverse patients who suffered from many of the diseases we were researching and studying,” Dr. Sygall said. “My training prepared me to work in practically any condition or situation.
“It is very rewarding to make patients feel safe and comfortable when they are in an extremely vulnerable state,” he added.
The endowed scholarship cements the Sygall family’s long-standing legacy at the U. Their daughter, a UM graduate, is currently a student at the School of Law, and their son is an undergraduate. The Sygalls have provided financial support throughout the University for nearly two decades, and their endowed scholarship will allow them to make a more profound impact at the Miller School.
It also supports the Sygalls’ passion for giving back to their community. Dr. Sygall has educated teens on the dangers of vaping, and Stacy Sygall has helped distribute financial assistance for college to underserved students.
“It is a humbling experience to make a difference in the lives of others,” said Stacy Sygall. “We hope the scholarship will help them fulfill their dreams.”
To support student scholarships at the Miller School, click here. 
