In 2006, Dr. Robert H. Ballard, class of 1944, established the Dr. Robert. H. Ballard and Dorothy Cannon Ballard Endowed Scholarship with a gift of $20,000. Knowing the need to attract top-notch scholars immediately, he gifted another $217,000 in 2007 to finance the first two Ballard Scholars. In the spring of 2007 he made arrangements in his will for a four million dollar gift to permanently endow eight full-ride scholarships. He then committed an additional $200,000 yearly until the will goes into effect to maintain the scholarships.
About Dr. Robert H. Ballard
In his 40-year career as an orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Robert H. Ballard, Class of 1944 helped thousands of patients as a pioneer in joint replacement surgery in the Inland Empire region of Southern California. Even though he retired from active practice in 1992, Dr. Ballard has continued to give.
This fall two exceptional University of Utah School of Medicine students will become recipients of his generosity, becoming "Ballard Scholars." These scholarships are the first four-year, full-ride medical school scholarships awarded by the school.
"I have always had a commitment to medicine and education," says Dr. Ballard.
I am grateful for the training I received at the University of Utah and feel extremely fortunate to have practiced Orthopaedic Medicine when I did. I want current students to have the same types of opportunities I had to start and grow a practice and excel in their field of choice.
I hope my gifts will inspire other medical alumni to stepup and give to medical scholarships," said Dr. Ballard. "The costs of college and medical school have far outpaced family income increases over the past thirty years. We alumni who have the financial ability need to help aspiring young people attend a quality medical school like the University of Utah's and not be burdened with huge amounts of debt when they graduate.
Dr. Ballard is no stranger to medical philanthropy and activism in the community. In 1983, the Robert H. Ballard Center for Rehabilitation at San Bernardino Community Hospital opened in appreciation of his "outstanding and dedicated service. and in recognition of his commitment to orthopaedic and restorative medicine and quality health care." Shortly thereafter, he and his brother Ross Ballard M.D., Class of 1942, donated property to Saint Bernadine's Hospital in San Bernardino to open the Ballard Center Intensive Care Unit.
He served as the California State Co-Chairman for the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation and in many state and national orthopaedic specialty organizations in various capacities. He also enjoyed teaching as an Assistant Clinical Professor of Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation Surgery at Loma Linda University School of Medicine and serving as the Medical Director of the Robert H. Ballard Center for Rehabilitation. He received numerous awards for his contributions including the San Bernardino County Medical Society's Outstanding Contribution to Community Award in 1988 and the Outstanding Contribution to Medicine Award in 1991.
Born and raised in Utah, Dr. Ballard completed medical school at the University in 1944. After an internship at Waterbury Hospital in Connecticut, his specialty training was one year of surgery at Holy Cross Hospital in Salt Lake City followed by three more years as the second orthopaedic resident trained at the University of Utah. Five years of his training were in connection with military service. The first three with the Army Reserve while in school and then from 1945-1947 on active duty.
"My contact with many excellent surgeons at Bushnell General Hospital in Brigham City and overseas in the orthopaedic section of the Station Hospital in Regensburg, Germany helped me decide to become an orthopaedic surgeon, and I've never regretted it!" says Dr. Ballard.
I have been fortunate my entire life, and now I want to give back to the School of Medicine for the training I received there which enabled me to pursue a career I loved.