In the fall of 1930, Charles won a Rosenwald Scholarship, a prestigious award for the education of black students. Charles impressed his anatomy instructor, Dr. John Beattie. Beattie fascinated Charles with his work with blood. Before long Charles was reading everything he could on blood. Charles and Beattie became friends and began to do experiments together. Charles often visited Montreal General Hospital to watch Beattie test for blood types. One day a patient needed a transfusion and his sisters blood did not match, so Charles donated some of his own