Medical professional and B.C. entrepreneur Dr. Donald Rix
has donated $4 million to the University of British Columbia,
with the majority of funding slated to support medical students
in financial need.
The primary gift of $2 million will endow bursaries for medical
students. The remaining $2 million will be directed to a variety
of needs ranging from athletics to early childhood development.
“This generous gift will significantly advance student
access to medical education and is a farsighted contribution
to efforts to ease B.C.’s doctor shortage in rural and
remote communities,” says UBC President Martha Piper.
“It also allows us to further develop a number of other
important student and faculty initiatives.”
The gift was triggered by the recent expansion of UBC’s
medical undergraduate program that will nearly double the
number of graduates by 2009. Additional students have created
increased demand on sources of financial assistance.
UBC’s Faculty of Medicine currently graduates 200 students
per year, who are educated at UBC and at the University of
Northern B.C. in Prince George and at the University of Victoria.
Medical students pay an average tuition of $14,000 per annum.
The combination of education and living expenses for a medical
student can be as high as $38,000.
“In 35 years of medical practice, I have become aware
that the delivery of medical care varies considerably through
out the province,” says Rix, who is a UBC clinical professor
emeritus of pathology. “I hope these funds allow more
students to pursue a medical education. That way, we can produce
enough doctors so everyone in this province has access to
quality health care.”
The donation will be commemorated by naming a lecture theatre
in UBC’s Life Sciences Centre — home to the medical
undergraduate program — the Dr. Donald Rix Lecture Theatre.
“Dr. Rix’s support accelerates our ability to
create the next generation of doctors,” says Gavin Stuart,
dean of UBC’s Faculty of Medicine. “This gift
will help the best and brightest get an outstanding medical
education here at UBC, regardless of personal financial circumstance.”
Rix is board chairman of MDS Metro Laboratory Services, the
largest independent diagnostic laboratory network in B.C.
His previous gifts to the university include a major contribution
toward a technology enterprise facility, the Donald Rix Building.
Below please find a brief biography of Dr. Rix.
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Biography
Donald B. Rix, MD
Dr. Donald B. Rix, MD, is chairman and one of the founders
of MDS Metro Laboratory Services and Cantest Laboratory Services
in Vancouver. Metro Laboratory is the largest independent
community laboratory in B.C. and Cantest is the largest industrial
laboratory in B.C.
Dr. Rix received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University
of Western Ontario in 1953 and his MD degree in 1957. His
education includes a Fellowship in General Pathology (FRCP)
Canada in 1972, a Doctor of Science, honoris causa from the
University of Western Ontario in 1998, an Honorary Diploma
of Technology from British Columbia Institute of Technology
(BCIT) in 1985 and an Honorary Doctor of Science & Technology
from BCIT in 2003. In June of 2004, Dr. Rix was the recipient
of an Honorary Doctor of Science from Simon Fraser University.
In 2004, Dr. Rix was awarded the Order of British Columbia.
Dr. Rix served as chairman of the board at BCIT. At SFU he
is the chair of the Council of the Segal Centre for Graduate
Management Studies, and is a member of other committees. He
is chairman of the Board of Governors for the University of
Northern B.C., and at UBC is a member of the Advisory Council
of the UBC Faculty of Graduate Studies. He is on the UBC Foundation
Board, and is a lifetime member of the President’s Circle.
He is past Chair of the BC Innovation Council and has been
involved in other similar organizations that promote a strong
connection between industry and education.
Dr. Rix sits on many boards of biotechnology companies, such
as Clera Inc. and Resverlogix Corp. and recently received
the Lifetime Leadership and Achievement Award from the British
Columbia Biotechnology Association for his contributions to
the biotechnology sector. He is chairman of Genome BC and
also serves on the board of Perceptronics Medical Inc., Protox
Therapeutics Inc., and QHR Technologies Inc. Dr. Rix is Chairman
of BC Advantage Funds (VCC) Ltd. He is also chairman of Festival
Vancouver and sits on the boards of Vancouver Art Gallery,
Vancouver Opera Foundation, BC Medical Services Foundation,
the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation and is a director
of the Vancouver Board of Trade.
