Wright State University receives gift to fund scholarships for Boonshoft School of Medicine students

Wright State University has received a major gift from the estate of William A. Bernie, M.D., who was instrumental in the founding of the Department of Surgery at Wright State University, as well as playing a role in shaping the Boonshoft School of Medicine as a volunteer faculty member.

According to an article on Wright State University's website, Sue Edwards, Ph.D., the president of the university, expressed her gratitude for Bernie, his many contributions to the school, and this estate gift. She is quoted as saying, “Dr. Bernie’s estate gift will help fund this scholarship for generations of medical students to come. While Dr. Bernie may not be here to see the impact he makes in the lives of our students, they will proudly carry on his long legacy of excellence in medical care and surgical innovation. Dr. Bernie’s generosity will allow us to continue graduating highly trained professionals who will serve patients throughout our region, state and nation.”

The $1.7 million gift from Bernie’s estate will be used to fund scholarships for students who are studying in Wright State University’s Boonshoft School of Medicine. Throughout his career, Bernie made several similar contributions to the school, helping to ensure that the region’s future medical professionals could pursue their education with a lesser financial burden. In 1993, Bernie established the Helen K. and David Bernie Scholarship Fund for medical students who had completed their first year of studies, in honor of his parents. 

Bernie served as an assistant clinical professor in the role of a volunteer faculty member at Wright State University. He also served on the Dean’s Leadership Council. Reflecting the time and resources he lent to Wright State University and the Boonshoft School of Medicine over the years, Bernie was a recipient of the Boonshoft School of Medicine Appreciation Award. There is also an anatomy lab on campus that was named after him due to his immense influence on the school.

Bernie was born in Dayton, Ohio, and after earning his medical degree from the University of Cincinnati, he served in South Korea as a captain with the Army medical corps. Afterward, he began his civilian medical profession as a member of several hospital staffs and as a surgeon with Gem City Surgical Associates. He retired from practicing medicine in 1992 and went on to work in research and development with Johnson & Johnson, spending his time working toward enhancing patient education.

Gregory Toussaint, M.D., who is serving as the interim dean of the Boonshoft School of Medicine, explained the impact Bernie had in the region’s medical community throughout his life. He said, “Bill was a surgical leader and innovator who introduced laparoscopic surgery to the entire Miami Valley general surgery community. When he transitioned from clinical practice to Ethicon, he became a national force in the development of laparoscopic instruments and minimally invasive surgical training. His support of advanced procedural training for practicing surgeons and surgical residents led to improved surgical care for our entire region.”

Speaking of the impact Bernie had on the school specifically, Toussaint added, “We are thankful to Bill for his incredibly generous gift. It will make a tremendous difference to our medical students and help alleviate student debt. Throughout his distinguished career, Bill was a surgical leader and innovator. We are indebted to him for his contributions as one of the founding members of our medical school. Bill’s legacy will continue to live on through current and future generations of Wright State medical students.”

For more information about Wright State University, visit the school’s website.