Dr. Eldon Smith is remembering the Dalhousie Medical School in his will with a bequest, to give students the same opportunities he once had.

One of Canada’s preeminent academic cardiologists, Dr. Eldon R. Smith (MD’67, LLD’14) remembers what it was like to be a young student from a small, rural community with big dreams of attending medical school. Now, he wants to give back to make sure others have that same opportunity.

“I came from modest circumstances, so while I used to dream about becoming a doctor, I wasn’t even sure if it was possible for me,” he says. “I was thrilled when I was accepted to Dalhousie. I graduated and have gone on to a have a career as a physician, and it’s been wonderful.”

In the years since, Dr. Smith has dedicated his life to improving the heart health of Canadians as a physician, educator, researcher and administrative leader. He has earned widespread recognition for his research into hypertension and cardiac failure. Among his many accomplishments, he was Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Calgary, and Editor-in-Chief of the Canadian Journal of Cardiology.

Dr. Smith also played a leading role in defining the direction of Canada’s cardiovascular care when he was appointed to chair the steering committee for a national task force on heart health. He is a Dalhousie honorary degree recipient, and an Officer of the Order of Canada. He has also received the Graham Medal from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

He credits his long and distinguished career in part to one fateful interview with Dalhousie Medical School in the 1960s. “If Dean Chester Stewart had listened to my story and decided I wasn’t a good risk, my entire medical career might not have come to pass,” he says. “Dalhousie decided to take a chance on me that day and I’ll be eternally grateful for that.”

As a recipient of financial support himself, Dr. Smith is motivated by a desire to give back so that other students will have the same opportunities that he once had.

“When I was in school, I won a number of prizes and bursaries. Sometimes it would be a book prize. Even though it seemed small, that prize was fantastic to me because every little bit helped – it was a book that I didn’t have to buy. In addition to the prestige of the prize, the financial assistance meant the world to me at the time.”

A long-time supporter of Dalhousie, Dr. Smith established the Harvey & Violet Smith Memorial Bursary in 2010, specifically aimed at students from lower socio-economic circumstances or marginalized communities. He has supported Dalhousie in many other ways, contributing to Dalhousie every year since he graduated.

He has also decided to remember the Dalhousie Medical School in his will with a bequest. He says people from rural areas or marginalized communities do not have the same opportunities to attend university as others, and he wants to help level the playing field.

“My time at Dalhousie was wonderful. It gave me a tremendous foundation and helped me to achieve my dreams. The financial help I received along the way was so important to me, and I want to try and help others in the same way.”