I was 18 when I left my quiet Boston suburb for McGill University, and it was a transformative experience.
The school, the city, and the people I met there prepared me for my future success. I went on to earn my medical degree from Boston University, serve as a director of Emergency Radiology at Massachusetts General Hospital, and Professor of Radiology at Harvard Medical School. I've had a wonderful career, lecturing internationally and travelling the world. Now, it's payback time.
I arrived in Montreal as a pre-med student in 1961. The city was sophisticated and cosmopolitan; it was on the cusp of building the subway and hosting Expo 67. I lived in Douglas Hall residence, and later joined a fraternity, bonding for life with students from all over the world.
I enrolled as a pre-med student, taking organic chemistry, physical chemistry, and comparative anatomy. McGill's courses were rigorous, and my professors became my mentors. When I went back to Boston for medical school, I found myself much better prepared than my colleagues. I was in the top of my class in my first year at the Boston University School of Medicine, and I have McGill to thank for that.
Since then I've built a career in academic radiology. I teach radiology at Harvard, now retired as Director of Emergency Radiology at Massachusetts General Hospital, and I've authored four editions of the world's largest-selling radiology textbook, Fundaments of Radiology, now published in seven languages.
I'm proud of my McGill degree, and I feel fortunate for my opportunities. That's why I'm leaving a bequest to establish the Robert A. Novelline, MD Scholarship in Science.
Graduates my age were lucky to have very reasonable tuition. Today's young people don't know if they'll be able to cover school expenses. McGill students need our help, and I hope my scholarship can tip the scale.
I previously contributed to our Science Class of 1965 scholarship, and in less than 10 years it has helped 21 students. Seeing that impact inspired me to make a gift of my own.
I encourage all my colleagues and fellow graduates to seriously consider making a bequest. It's payback time.
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