£5M gift enables medics to combine clinical training and academic research

A gift to Imperial's Faculty of Medicine will enable talented medicine graduates to take part in a prestigious clinical-academic training programme.

The generous donation comes from the Hong Kong-based Lees Charitable Foundation, which is chaired by alumnus Dr Richard Lee (Chemical Engineering 1960, PhD 1964). The Foundation’s gift will create The Lee Family – Faculty of Medicine Scholarships, an endowed scholarship programme offering one full fellowship every two years, in perpetuity. The first awards will be made in the 2018–19 academic year.

Imperial’s clinical-academic programme provides opportunities for doctors to do a three-year PhD as part of their vocational training, giving them valuable research experience that can be linked to their clinical discipline. By providing financial support to exceptional graduates, The Lee Family – Faculty of Medicine Scholarships will allow more junior doctors to take up this opportunity.

Completing a PhD not only opens up new career paths to individual doctors, but has wider social impact too. Understanding both the scientific characteristics of a disease and the everyday problems patients face enables academic-clinicians to bring a holistic perspective to the study of disease and the development of effective treatment plans. This potential for impact has made clinical-academic training a fundraising priority for The Faculty of Medicine.

Professor Gavin Screaton, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, said: “Doctors who feel at home in the lab as well as the clinic play a vital role in translating scientific breakthroughs for patient benefit. The mix of skills that doctors will gain through the Lee Family – Faculty of Medicine Scholarships will pave the way for them to make the very highest contribution to medicine. We offer our deepest thanks to the Lees Charitable Foundation for its support.”

Dr Richard Lee at Imperial's Asia Convocation 2007. Dr Lee received an honorary degree for outstanding achievements in business and exceptional service to the College.

Reid Alan Ching, Director of Global Development said: “Getting to know Dr Richard Lee and his family, and seeing the impact of their philanthropy, has been truly remarkable. The relationship that has developed between the family and the College is something we take great pride in, and it shows what can be achieved when we work closely with our alumni and friends. We look forward to continuing our partnership with the Lee family in the future.”