Florida Atlantic University, (FAU) has been an emerging influence in the study and research of medicine, and now the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine just received an overwhelming vote of confidence from two very generous donors.

John and Ann Wood have gifted a $28 million estate pledge in memory of their son, Robert A. Wood, to continue their efforts in creating debt-free tuition education for the medical school’s aspiring physicians. The Woods hope their gift will motivate other supporters of FAU’s budding medical school to increase their scholarship donations to cover every medical student's in-state tuition, which amounts to $140,000 over four years. This scholarship will also offer out-of-state students the ability to participate and the scholarship at the in-state tuition rate.

“This gift starts our initiative toward debt-free tuition, which is only available in a handful of medical schools across the country. I am hopeful that this transformational gift will inspire others to follow in the path forged by Ann and John Wood, to support doctors of our community, for our community,” said Julie G. Pilitsis, M.D., Ph.D., dean and vice president of medical affairs of the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine. “Their generosity will help FAU College of Medicine make great strides in improving the delivery of and access to healthcare in South Florida by attracting the best and the brightest.”

A continued effort on behalf of the Wood family, this is the third gift given to FAU’s Colleges of Medicine. It follows their 2021 donation, which formed the Robert A. Wood FAU Medical Scholars Fund to fully cover the tuition of 10 medical students through all four years of medical school. They furthered their financial impact in 2022 by providing additional scholarships to 20 medical students, of which their new generous gift continues their commitment in a significant way. Not only is it the largest scholarship in FAU’s history, but it’s also the largest known ever to be gifted to a Florida public university medical school.

“The FairfaxWood Scholarship Foundation was inspired by the social and educational work of our eldest son, Bruce Fairfax Wood, a New Jersey-born Princeton graduate and chief engineer of Pres-T-Con Limited, a large, family-owned prestressed concrete business. His efforts on the island of Trinidad were centered on the reeducation of teens that had left school at age 11 and in improving the lives of the poorer village folk,” said philanthropist John Wood. “Once we relocated to Boca, we began giving scholarships for undergraduates in need of assistance. After the Marjorie Stoneman Douglas disaster, 10, four-year scholarships were given to graduates of that school each year, with 53 scholars currently being assisted. After reading about the massive debt medical students incurred, we decided to include the FAU College of Medicine in our scholarship program, with an ultimate aim of 80 students. Realizing there are many others in the community who could assist, we anticipate this gift will inspire them to join in and make FAU’s College of Medicine tuition-free. The world has ‘Doctors without Borders’ – we need ‘Doctors without Debt.’”

Nationally recognized for its innovative curriculum, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine is committed to a humanistic, high-tech approach to its efforts toward medical education. Along with its partnerships involving three independent health systems across Palm Beach County, Florida, the College of Medicine has designed a renowned level of quality care throughout the community, as well as throughout South Florida.

“More than 60 years ago, Florida Atlantic was founded on the principle that higher education should be available to all who sought it,” said FAU President John Kelly. “This extraordinary gift from Ann and John Wood will enhance the University’s ability to attract and retain outstanding medical students from an array of backgrounds, and support them on their journey to become knowledgeable and caring physicians.”

For over 30 years, BarCharts Publishing has maintained a dedicated partnership with Florida Atlantic University. With a number of employees who are proud alumni, our work with the university expands well beyond personal commitment. We have also had the good fortune of collaborating with a number of past & current FAU professors who have authored many of our award-winning QuickStudy laminated reference & study guides as they continue their efforts in providing a quality academic experience for students and faculty members alike at FAU.