“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,” said Dr. Gregory Toussaint, interim dean of the Boonshoft School of Medicine.
Bernie, who was also a former faculty member at Boonshoft, had a 20-year career as a surgeon before later retiring from active surgery to go into research and development at Johnson & Johnson, where he worked on developing minimally invasive surgical equipment.
“Throughout his distinguished career, Bill was a surgical leader and innovator,” Toussaint said. “We are indebted to him for his contributions as one of the founding members of our medical school.”
Bernie’s legacy began in Dayton, where he was born on Oct. 1, 1938. He graduated from Fairview High School and Miami University and earned his medical degree at the University of Cincinnati.
After serving in South Korea as a captain in the U.S. Army medical corps, he completed a four-year surgical residency at the University of West Virginia followed by a surgical oncology residency at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
In 1972, Bernie started his private practice, Gem City Surgical Associates in Dayton, while serving on several hospital medical staffs. He practiced as a skilled surgeon for 20 years, the Boonshoft School of Medicine says.
“Bill was a surgical leader and innovator who introduced laparoscopic surgery to the entire Miami Valley general surgery community,” Toussaint said.
Laparoscopy is also known as keyhole surgery, according to the National Library of Medicine. This type of surgery is a minimally invasive procedure that uses a thin, tube-like device called a laparoscope that has a video camera on it, John Hopkins Medicine says. The device is used to examine the inside of the abdomen or pelvis.
In 1992, Bernie retired from active surgery, kicking off his second career as an executive in the Ethicon division of Johnson & Johnson in Cincinnati. Bernie developed minimally invasive surgical techniques and related equipment.
“When he transitioned from clinical practice to Ethicon, he became a national force in the development of laparoscopic instruments and minimally invasive surgical training,” Toussaint said.
His second career in research and development lasted more than 20 years.
“His support of advanced procedural training for practicing surgeons and surgical residents led to improved surgical care for our entire region,” Toussaint said.
Bernie was a volunteer faculty member for more than 30 years, serving as an assistant clinical professor at Wright State, where he was a founding member of Wright State’s Department of Surgery.
“Dr. Bernie’s estate gift will help fund this scholarship for generations of medical students to come,” said Wright State University President Sue Edwards.
Bernie was a member of the Dean’s Leadership Council. He received the Boonshoft School of Medicine Appreciation Award in recognition of his contributions over the years.
“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,” Edwards said.
Bernie is the namesake for an anatomy lab in White Hall. In 1993, he established the Helen K. and David Bernie Scholarship Fund in honor of his parents. The scholarship is awarded to high-achieving medical students who have successfully completed their first year of studies.
“Dr. Bernie’s generosity will allow us to continue graduating highly trained professionals who will serve patients throughout our region, state and nation,” she said.
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