Dear SOM family,

As the new academic year gets underway, I want to take a moment to reflect on an extraordinary milestone: 10 years of the UTRGV School of Medicine.

Ten years ago, we welcomed our charter class and began turning a decades-long vision into reality — building a medical school committed to educating outstanding physicians, advancing research and improving the health of the Rio Grande Valley and South Texas.

Today, we have much to celebrate.

Over the past decade, our students and graduates have distinguished themselves through outstanding educational outcomes and competitive residency placements.

Our faculty and researchers are advancing discoveries in areas that matter deeply to our region, including cancer and brain health.

And through UT Health RGV, our academic mission continues to grow through expanded clinical care and opportunities to bring education, research and patient care together.

In this fiscal year that just ended, we also celebrated a milestone that once seemed like another ambitious dream: the opening of the UT Health RGV Cancer and Surgery Center. 

Its continued growth is a powerful example of what academic medicine can accomplish when education, discovery and patient care come together in service to our communities.

But as proud as I am of these accomplishments, what means the most to me is the people behind them.

To our faculty who teach, mentor and inspire; our staff who make our mission possible every day; our students, residents and fellows who give us hope for the future; and our alumni and partners who carry our mission forward — thank you.

Our progress over these 10 years belongs to all of you.

I also want to express my sincere gratitude to the leaders, partners and supporters who believed in the vision of a medical school for the Rio Grande Valley and helped us build the foundation on which we stand today.

Because of that shared commitment, what began as a dream has become a thriving academic medical institution serving our region and beyond.

As we look ahead, there is still so much to accomplish.

We will continue to grow our clinical footprint, advance research that addresses the health challenges of our communities, and educate the next generation of physicians who will serve South Texas and beyond.

And with another exceptional class beginning its journey with us, we are reminded once again of the promise at the heart of our mission.

The first 10 years have been remarkable. I believe the best is still ahead.

I invite you to take a moment to celebrate this milestone with me by watching the video below, which highlights just some of what our School of Medicine community has accomplished together.

Thank you for your dedication, your passion and your unwavering commitment to our mission.

Together, we will continue transforming health through education, discovery and care — for the Rio Grande Valley and beyond.

With gratitude,

Everardo Cobos, MD, FACP

Dean, UTRGV School of Medicine

Chair, Department of Medicine and Oncology