A recently established scholarship endowment in honor of a long-time Reno physician will benefit medical students and honor the man who committed himself to the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine from its earliest days.

The Robert K. Myles, M.D. Memorial Scholarship Endowment, established by his wife, Jean, recognizes Dr. Myles' advocacy for medical education, dating back to the days when Renown Health was Washoe Medical Center, and his desire to see the hospital become an academic medical center. Jean commented that Bob would be pleased to see UNR Med and Renown working together and Renown becoming the teaching hospital for the Medical School.

The first recipients of the endowment will be in the 2018-19 academic year. Preference will be given to medical students who are Native American, or who reside in or who have graduated from high schools in northern Nevada, or Plumas, Sierra, Lassen and Nevada Counties in California.

In establishing the scholarship, Mrs. Myles said she wanted to support students from northern Nevada and eastern California because of their connection to the northern Nevada community which, she hoped, would lead them to practice medicine in the local area.

The Myles family came to Reno in 1958 where Dr. Myles established a practice in internal medicine, with a focus on cardiology, diabetes and pulmonary medicine. His involvement and influence in medical and nursing education, organized medicine, patient care, and public health have positively impacted the health of the community across the Truckee Meadows and beyond.

Myles mentored new pulmonary and internal medical specialists in Reno between 1960 and 1984. He worked in every aspect of health care including multiple terms as a member of the Washoe County Board of Health. He held offices on both Saint Mary Regional Medical Center and Washoe Medical Center's medical staffs, and was elected to Washoe Medical Center's governing board when it was a county-wide electoral position. He served as Chairman of the WMC Board when the hospital transitioned from county hospital to Washoe Medical Health System, now Renown. He was an active member of the Washoe County Medical Society.

He taught physical diagnosis as one of the first professors of medicine at the School of Medicine and also instructed students at Orvis School of Nursing. Together, Bob and Jean Myles have created a "living legacy" through their establishment of endowed scholarships at the Orvis School of Nursing and the School of Community Health Sciences. They received the 2015 University Service Award from the Nevada Alumni Association for their strong support of health care at the University over the years.