As part of the UTRGV School of Medicine, the center will allow for the provision of comprehensive cancer and surgical services that are on the leading edge of medicine

The University of Texas System Board of Regents has approved more than $145 million in funding for the new UT Health RGV Cancer and Surgery Center that will provide imperative healthcare services to the Rio Grande Valley. 

The approved funding – $145,723,401 – will come from the Permanent University Fund (PUF), Tuition Revenue Bond (TRB), and other funding and gifts, including a recent $1 million donation from the City of McAllen toward this project.    

Read More Here.

Dean Hocker joined University leaders at this year's "Fall Welcome and Picnic with the President 2022" 

UTRGV's "Welcome Week 2022" took place on Sept. 7-8 with a "Fall Welcome" and the annual "Picnic with the President."

UTRGV President Guy Bailey and Executive Vice President and Provost Janna Arney welcomed staff and faculty to the new academic year in Brownsville and Edinburg. Soon after -- the fun began with "Picnic with the President!"

At the picnic, UTRGV leadership, including Dean Hocker, handed out hamburgers and other treats to students, faculty, and staff. The Vaquero spirit was in full swing! ✌️

Watch the "Fall Welcome and Picnic with the President 2022" video here.  

“Nurses are an integral part of the clinical care that we provide in the field," said Dean Hocker 

UTRGV welcomed the first cohort of its new Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) professional degree, which started online in Fall 2022.

A special ceremony was held Aug. 24 at the UTRGV Medical Education Building lobby on the Edinburg Campus, to welcome the program’s first 14 DNP students.

Dr. Michael B. Hocker, dean of the UTRGV School of Medicine, said this new DNP program – which is administered by the UTRGV School of Nursing – epitomizes the university’s goals of enhancing student success and increasing access to quality healthcare in the Valley. 

“Nurses are an integral part of the clinical care that we provide in the field,” Hocker said. “Providing this degree is a great success, as advanced professional education is crucial to our sustained growth and health as a region.”

Read More Here.

Among the Luminary Scholars, eight are part of the UTRGV School of Medicine's Vaqueros MD program

This fall semester, 24 UTRGV students will make campus history as the first members of an exclusive group known as the Luminary Scholars.  

To welcome the newest Vaqueros, the first cohort and their families were recognized formally at a banquet on Monday, Aug. 22, on the Edinburg Campus. Scholars and their families met with college deans, university leadership, UTRGV President Guy Bailey and Executive Vice President and Provost Janna Arney.  

Unveiled last year, the one-of-a-kind scholarship program offers full tuition and fees for all four undergraduate years, and full tuition and fees for the professional or undergrad programs the student is admitted to, including the UTRGV School of Medicine and the School of Podiatric Medicine.  

Vaqueros MD is an Early Assurance Program (EAP) that selects a limited number of high-achieving area high school students to begin their undergraduate career and receive conditional admission to the entering medical class at UTRGV School of Medicine upon graduation. 

Read More Here.

UT Health RGV - the clinical arm of the UTRGV School of Medicine - held a pop-up clinic to meet the demands for this specialty care in the RGV

Jose Suarez Jr. is 19 now, but he has had trouble hearing since at least kindergarten, when his teacher first noticed he wasn’t responding to his name during roll call.  

Testing revealed he had hearing loss, possibly the result of a high fever when he was just 6 months old.  

His mother, Gloria Suarez, said it was very hard, at first, for her and her husband, Jose Sr., to know how they could be supportive.  

“I used to go to his first-grade class every day to help him,” she said.   

Today, Suarez Jr., who is from Edinburg, is hearing well –­ with a little help from assistive technology and a collaborative between UTRGV and several community and business partners.  

Read More Here.

Dr. Manish Tripathi, associate professor for Immunology and Microbiology 

Congratulations to Dr. Manish Tripathi, associate professor of Immunology and Microbiology and his team on their recent research award that has been approved for funding by the Alzheimer's Association. 

With this award, Dr. Tripathi and the team of UTRGV School of Medicine researchers will work to discover if LncRNA Malat1 is a potential therapeutic target for Alzheimer’s Disease. 

The estimated $150,000 grant project will begin in November of this year. 

Congratulations again to Dr. Tripathi and his team. 

Outward Mindset for Leaders Retreat

The UTRGV School of Medicine's leadership team participated in the Outward Mindset for Leaders retreat earlier this month, at the Rio Bank Tower in McAllen.

The leadership retreat was facilitated by the Arbinger Institute, a global training firm that helps teams achieve breakthrough results by shifting from a self-focused or inward mindset to an inclusive or outward mindset.

Dean Hocker encouraged leaders to start implementing the outward mindset tools with their teams to build the foundation for excellence in our school's mission and strategic priorities.

We will be training up to 10 individuals to serve as culture ambassadors to deliver the training to all faculty and staff.

Meet UTRGV MS2, Nura Salhadar      

Name: Nura Salhadar

Hometown: Brownsville, Texas

Year in Medical School: MS2 (Class of 2025)

Undergraduate School: The University of Texas at Austin 

Do you serve on any student interest groups/organizations/activities? If so, which one(s)?

• Women’s Health Interest Group (Vice President),
• Minority Advancement in Medicine (Treasurer),
• Dermatology Interest Group (Community Outreach Officer),
• Big Sib Planning Committee,
• American Medical Women’s Association UTRGV SOM Chapter (Community outreach officer)
• AHEC Scholars Program
• EHCAP (Education Collaboration for Aspiring Health Professionals) Competition 

What inspired you to become a doctor? 

Growing up, I viewed the hospital and clinic setting from various perspectives. I have family members who are physicians and have witnessed family members become patients.

I witnessed the challenges patients regularly encountered and gained a deep-rooted appreciation for the healthcare system. I have also always found the study of medicine fascinating because the human body is so complex and exquisitely designed. Working in the medical field entails a lifetime of learning, and I am always eager to learn more. I want to be part of a dynamic team of professionals that works to improve the lives of our patients. I believe being a doctor combines my two passions: science and the study of humanity.

I hope to use my knowledge to ease the pain of others and aid them in achieving their highest quality of life. 

Learn More About Salhadar Here.

Here's a look at what our UTRGV School of Medicine faculty have been working on in terms of life-changing research and discoveries.