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Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents Meeting on December 4 at UNLV

Issue 24 - Dec. 8, 2015

Making the Rounds with Founding Dean Barbara Atkinson

Dr. Sam Parrish

Friends and Colleagues,

When we submitted our accreditation documents we had to identify the type of students we want in our program. What are their values and personal characteristics? What kind of future physician leaders do we want to graduate?

Samuel Parrish, MD, Senior Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Admissions led this effort. He has overseen similar efforts for two other medical schools -- Drexel College of Medicine and Quinnipiac School of Medicine.

Dr. Parrish and his team , composed of UNLV faculty and University of Nevada School of Medicine faculty, and community members shaped our student admissions process with this premise -- We want outstanding students, from diverse backgrounds and experiences, who demonstrate personal qualities of community activism, leadership, perseverance, resiliency, optimism, and dedication to exemplary patient care; and who will stay in Nevada to take care of Nevadans .

How will we find these students?

All students who want to attend medical school in the U.S. apply through the American Medical College Application System (AMCAS). When students apply through AMCAS they must choose which schools they would like to attend. Medical schools then evaluate the students who select their programs. Next, the medical schools send a secondary application to the students who meet their qualifications for an interview.

Students who want to attend the UNLV School of Medicine will go through the same process. The only exception is that we will give every Nevada student who applies and who meets our basic requirements an interview. In addition, students with strong ties to the state will receive an interview. We also will consider older students who have decided to go into medicine, and first generation college students who often prefer to be near their families.

Our scholarship program will help us attract outstanding students. Matching each student with their scholarship donor will help our students create a long and lasting bond with the incredible people of this community. We believe requiring each student to complete at least 400 hours of community service also will help them become more rooted in our community - especially when they see the impact they can make . And lastly, since our medical school is community based it provides our students with many opportunities to build relationships with patients, physicians, health care teams, and hospital systems across Southern Nevada.

We are working hard to build more residency and fellowship programs in Las Vegas in all the needed specialties so students don't have to leave Nevada to finish their education. I personally can't wait to meet our charter class of 60 students. It's going to be a very rewarding day.

Best wishes,

Barbara

MD Program Approved

We received approval from the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) Board of Regents last week for our Doctor of Medicine (M.D.). The degree will allow the UNLV School of Medicine to train a diverse group of future Nevada physicians to work in health care teams, apply cutting-edge technology, and develop novel, yet classically-based treatment solutions for current and future diseases.

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Town Hall Meeting for Physicians

Join nearly 100 physicians tomorrow at the UNLV School of Medicine and Clark County Medical Society Town Hall meeting. The event is for Southern Nevada physicians to learn about the medical school's vision, curriculum, future plans, and how they can get involved.

Date: Wednesday, December 9 from 6-8 pm

Location: The In nev ation Center, 6795 S. Edmond

For more information click here.

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