A $3 million endowment for the University of Hawai'i's John A. Burns School of Medicine could mark a turning point for the school as it moves ahead under a new dean, according to Virginia Hinshaw, chancellor of the Manoa campus.

The school yesterday honored Virginia and Barry Weinman for making the donation, which comes seven months after Dr. Jerris Hedges was appointed dean of the school. The endowment marked the largest gift to the university by the Weinmans, who are long-time UH supporters.

"It's pivotal," said Hinshaw, noting the donation shows support for Hedges and his work at the school.

"They had to have confidence in Jerris to move forward."

The endowment is structured in a way to allow Hedges use of $100,000 this year to make changes to improve the school. Past leaders, including former UH president Evan Dobelle and former school dean Ed Cadman, have come in for some criticism for promising but failing to attract as much in research and training grants, job creation and other goals set for the facility.

The Weinmans yesterday said they waited two years to make the contribution and had even gone to the extent of interviewing candidates for the dean opening at the school. They said they wanted someone who understood Hawai'i's healthcare issues and could move the school ahead.

"Healthcare is one of the critical issues in Hawai'i," Barry Weinman said, noting the lack of doctors in rural areas and other problems.

"It's under a lot of pressure. I think this dean is going to change that."

Hedges came to the school from Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine, where is he is credited as helping bring in research funding and served as chairman of the school's emergency medicine department. Hinshaw said she had seen progress at the Hawai'i school since his arrival, including reorganizing departments and leaving alone programs that were already operating well.

She said Hedges also has been active in the community and that the Weinmans' support should serve to attract other contributions.

"This is a statement to the rest of the community," she said.

Hedges has created two new departments since arriving at the school and asked to increase the size of the incoming class to 68 from the current 62 to address Hawai'i's doctor shortage.

Hedges also wants to expand the Imi Ho'ola Program, which helps ready historically disadvantaged Hawai'i residents for medical school here and has worked at enhancing the relationship between the school and local hospitals. He has said he will use immediate funding from the Weinmans' gift to expand the school's role in guiding state health policy and to bring in data specialists.

Weinman said he expects Hedges will work well with the state Legislature and community as well as looking for ways to improve healthcare in rural areas.

"We have someone who is more than just a dean," he said.