Read the latest news on Roberts, our alumni, and the campus community. Check here for alumni updates as well. Click here to send us your updates!
David Fidler ’16 (Biochemistry): Third Generation Roberts Alumnus, All Serving In the Medical Field
David Fidler ’16 (Biochemistry) is part of a unique and interesting group of people. David, his grandfather Dr. Keith Fidler ’57 (Comprehensive Science), his grandmother Gloria Johnson Fidler ’58 (Secretarial Science), his father Dr. Wesley Fidler ’85 (Chemistry), and mother Lynda Nobles Fidler ’84 (Nursing) all graduated from Roberts and, with the exception of Gloria, went on to work in the medical field!
Dr. Keith Fidler went on from Roberts to attend the University of Western Ontario Medical School in London, Ontario. He graduated from there and worked as a Free Methodist missionary-physician in Umri, India from 1964-1972 with David’s grandmother, Gloria. They returned to Canada where he practiced family medicine in Smiths Falls, Ontario. They still reside there and are currently enjoying retirement.
Dr. Wesley Fidler went to Queens University Medical School in Kingston, Ontario. He is now a practicing Rheumatologist in Thunder Bay, Ontario. David’s mother, Lynda, has worked as an ICU nurse in both Albany, NY and Kingston, Ontario. She currently manages his father’s medical office.
David graduated last spring and is currently a first-year medical student at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) in Thunder Bay, Ontario. David has followed in his family’s footsteps by attending Roberts and going into medicine.
While at Roberts he was involved in Enactus and In Jesus Name (an outreach to the homeless in Rochester). Roberts taught him the value of a moral and ethical life. He learned about the importance of integrity and compassion from his professors and mentors. Roberts was also a safe place to talk about faith and spirituality. David and his roommates had many deep discussions about God and life, and it helped him to grow spiritually. He found the community at Roberts to be a very accepting and friendly place.
Dr. Roll was especially helpful. David writes, “Dr. Roll was my pre-medical advisor. He taught me Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry, Bioinformatics, and Cell Biology. I did my undergraduate research with him in which we studied the structure of dipeptides. He helped guide me through the long application process to medical schools and gave me encouragement the entire time. His classes and guidance helped prepare me for medical school.” This personal faculty-student connection helped David succeed while at Roberts and beyond.
Late nights doing homework in Miner Hall, adventures in Rochester, late-night garbage plates, and deep conversations about theology are just some of the fond memories David has. David remembers that after one of these nights spent with friends, that they would, “eventually have to go back to the homework, but late nights were always spent together until everyone was done with their work. This is an example of the companionship I felt with the people close to me at Roberts.”
David got to experience the Crothers Science & Nursing Center during his senior year. He’s excited about the way Roberts’ Science Department has continued to change and grow, especially since his grandparent’s days on campus in the 50’s. David writes, “I am honored to be the third graduate of Roberts in my family to go on to medical school. Roberts is an amazing school and very precious to my family.”
David attends the Thunder Bay Free Methodist Church. He’s involved as a volunteer counsellor at the Kakabeka Falls Bible Camp for the Children’s Camp and Teen Camp that take place every summer. He has been volunteering at this Free Methodist Bible Camp for about 10 years.