A new memorial bursary is set to make a lasting impact for future generations of medical students at Queen’s. The Dr. Pamela Frid, MD’82, Memorial Bursary will support incoming medical students in financial need, with preference for those who identify as women.
Created through a $1-million endowed gift from the estate of the late Dr. Pamela Frid, this legacy donation reflects her deep commitment to increasing access to medical education and honours her lifelong connection to Queen’s.
The bursary also directly supports Queen’s commitment to removing financial barriers, supporting student success, and advancing gender equity in health-care leadership. More specifically, it complements the MD program’s , which aims to reduce systemic barriers for entry and diversify the student body.
Dr. Frid’s sisters, Beverly Frid-Burrows, MBA’84, and Sandra Frid, Artsci’83, MSc’85, Ed’86, who helped carry out their sister’s wishes, say the bursary reflects what she cared about: fairness, education, and the next generation of physicians.
“We knew Pam wanted to give back to Queen’s and we knew how much she cared about medical school affordability – especially for women,” says Frid-Burrows. “So, we knew this was the right way to honour her.”
Dr. Frid was a pioneer in developmental pediatrics, helping to establish the field as a recognized specialty with its own curriculum and its own qualification exam.
A proud alumna of Queen’s School of Medicine, Dr. Frid was always so grateful that the school accepted her as a 20-year-old young woman and gave her the opportunity to fulfill her dream of becoming a pediatrician, says Frid-Burrows.
Dr. Frid also had a rich and lifelong relationship with the university that extended well beyond the classroom. As a student, she was deeply involved in Queen’s Bands – an experience her family says was a deep passion and joy during her years in Kingston.
Dr. Frid’s connection to Queen’s stretched across generations. Grey House, for instance, was built in 1899 by her great-great-grandfather, James Maxwell, who also built many of the brick homes that now house Queen’s students. Her grandfather, Pat Houston, BASc’30, was the first in the family to attend Queen’s. Several members of the family followed in his footsteps.
“Pam always knew she was going to go to Queen’s,” recalls sister Sandra Frid. “She fell in love with it as a child, going to football games with our grandfather, so this gift will be such an important part of the legacy she leaves behind.”
The bursary will provide up to four years of renewable support to students, giving recipients the financial stability to focus fully on their studies.
“The Dr. Pamela Frid, MD’82, Memorial Bursary represents the kind of meaningful support that truly changes lives,” says Dr. Stephen Vanner, Interim Dean, Queen’s Health Sciences. “We are deeply grateful to the Frid family for ensuring that Dr. Frid’s legacy lives on through the success of students who might not otherwise have had the opportunity to pursue medicine.”
For more information about giving options, contact the Faculty of Health Science’s advancement team or explore the .
