The needs of southern Nevada’s medical sector are robust by just about every indicator out there: physicians per capita and resident vacancies, to name a few.
The plan to cultivate medical school graduates right here on our doorstep has been in the works for several years now, and if higher education officials have their way, the first class will start in 2017.
But there’s one big thing that stands in the way of that, and that’s funding. In the grand scheme of things, a new medical school in the state could help the state’s economy in both consumer spending and general fund revenue. Marketing research firm Tripp Umbach estimates the UNLV School of Medicine would generate $58.7 million in government revenue by 2030.
The Nevada System of Higher Education is requesting that the state support the School of Medicine with $27 million over the next two years, compared with Governor Brian Sandoval’s proposed $9 million.
Brookings Mountain West Director Robert Lang told KNPR's State of Nevada if the funding doesn’t happen, the medical school will be a missed opportunity for an entire generation. Other education leaders are concerned that if the state isn’t showing enough support for the medical school, vital accreditation agencies will pass the school over.
State Senator Ben Kieckhefer, R-Washoe County, doesn’t agree that Nevada will lose the whole enterprise for a long time if the funding doesn’t come through, but he does believe the money and project is at the top of the legislative agenda.
“The time is now. I think the political will is in place to ensure this happen in this funding cycle,” Kieckhefer said.
He also believes the governor is in full support of the effort to fund the school.
“I think that there is a belief from legislators across the state that there is a critical need in southern Nevada and as chairman of the Senate Finance Committee I’m pretty committed to making it the top of the list,” the lawmaker said.
Barbara Atkinson was charged with bringing the school to fruition when she was named UNLV Medical Dean in May 2014. She is also optimistic that the money will come through. However, she does believe if the entire amount is not allotted they will lose vital momentum and a lot more.
“I think it would be a critical setback. They [accreditation agencies] would see it as waffling on state support. Donors would see it as waffling on state support and then we would have trouble on that side,” Atkinson said.
Atkinson said she is working with donors to provide money for buildings, clinical projects and research programs. She said there is no shortage of support from the community.
“All I have to do is talk about some of the medial things that are not getting done here where people have to leave town,” Atkinson said.
But many of those donors are making their donations contingent on state support.
Besides losing donors and accreditation, the lack of state money could hurt efforts to keep faculty, the dean said. Atkinson said that many faculty members currently at the University of Nevada School of Medicine in Reno plan on becoming part of the UNLV faculty, but if the Legislature does not provide all of the money needed thereby delaying the project, those faculty members might have to move on.
“We may already see faculty members leave for better jobs and unfortunately it’s going to be the good faculty members who leave,” Atkinson said.
For now, it is a waiting game on a ticking clock.
Copyright 2015 KNPR-FM. To see more, visit http://www.knpr.org/. 9(MDA0NjY4NzQ2MDEyOTc4NzIzMThmMjJkMg001))
State Senator Ben Kieckhefer R-Washoe County, chair, senate finance committee; Barbara Atkinson, planning dean, UNLV School of Medicine