Dear School of Medicine colleagues:

We wanted to share this news with you first, before a message goes to the broader campus community later today: following a thorough and collaborative process, Dr. Everardo Cobos has been appointed Dean of the UTRGV School of Medicine (SOM), effective Feb. 1, 2026.

Dr. Cobos has served as interim dean since May 1, 2025, stepping into this role during an important period of transition for the school. Since then, he has provided steady leadership, strategic direction, and a clear focus on our mission of transforming health care in the Rio Grande Valley.

This appointment reflects broad consultation with SOM faculty and staff, as well as institutional partners, and a careful assessment of the school’s needs at this stage of its growth. We are grateful to everyone who took the time to provide thoughtful feedback, and we also want to thank the entire SOM community for your hard work, professionalism, and continued focus on our students and mission throughout this interim period.

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Cobos on this well-deserved appointment. We are confident that, with his leadership, together we will continue to elevate medical education, research, and patient care in the Rio Grande Valley and beyond.

Sincerely,

Guy Bailey

President

Brian Dean, MBA, MPH

Interim Executive Vice President for Health Affairs

Leadership Retreat: Charting the Year Ahead

"The future of the School of Medicine depends on how well we work together — aligning education, research and clinical care to serve our communities with excellence and care."

- Dr. Cobos

At a recent leadership retreat, Dean Everardo Cobos reflected on the School of Medicine's continued evolution into a traditional academic medicine institution and outlined growth priorities for the year ahead.

Discussions focused on strengthening education, research and clinical care; advancing clinical operations and the UT Health RGV Cancer and Surgery Center; preparing for major research initiatives; and increasing integration between clinicians and scientists to drive innovation and growth based on where we are today as a medical school and how we are evolving to meet our mission.

Dr. Cobos emphasized collaboration, accountability and shared purpose as essential to sustaining momentum and advancing the School of Medicine's mission to serve the Rio Grande Valley. 

Information from the retreat will be shared with the SOM community during the State of the School address this Thursday, Jan. 29.

Understand Texas' Big Investment In Dementia Research

Texas voters approved a constitutional amendment in November to invest $3 billion in dementia research over the next decade, aiming to make Texas a national leader in dementia research and prevention.

How will the new initiative, the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (DPRIT), improve care and support for Texans living with dementia and their caregivers?

SOM's Dr. Gladys Maestre, director of the UTRGV Alzheimer's Disease Resources Center for Minority Aging Research and a professor of neuroscience, joined the Texas Tribune's health services reporter Terri Langford and other experts in the field for a conversation on Texas' big investment in dementia research.

Watch the full conversation here.

Welcome, 2026 Med Ed Cohort!

The fifth cohort of the Med Ed Teaching Certificate Program at the UTRGV School of Medicine has officially been kicked off!

This program aims to be a cornerstone in fostering educational excellence and innovation among the School of Medicine faculty.

This year's 5th Med Ed Teaching Certificate Program key highlights include:

• The program officially began on Jan. 06, 2026, with an introductory session led by Dr. Beatriz Tapia and Dr. Iliana Cantu, and supported by Interim Dean Cobos, other SOM chairs, and medical education leadership. Their participation has been instrumental in shaping and directing the program toward success.
• This year's cohort comprises diverse faculty members committed to improving their teaching methodologies and to making significant contributions to medical education.
• The program will cover a range of best teaching practices in medical education. It is designed to empower our faculty with the latest educational tools and strategies, ensuring they remain at the forefront of medical education.

Skin Cancer Screening

UTRGV School of Medicine students and Dr. Maria Villegas, assistant professor of medicine and dermatologist, hosted a rural skin cancer screening in Raymondville for Willacy County first responders. The event focused on firefighters, police officers and emergency personnel, who face higher skin cancer risks due to occupational and environmental exposures.

Because rural residents often encounter long travel distances and limited access to dermatologic care, the screening brought services directly to the community. Participants received on-site skin exams, education on prevention and early detection, and guidance on follow-up care.

Thank you to those who participated!

Congratulations to the Women and Children's Clinic, which won the Holiday Decorating Contest! The teams were asked to decorate trees, with 11 entries throughout, all amazing trees.

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