Las Vegas keeps investing in its Medical District while leaders say Nevada needs more residency programs for new doctors

What happened

Leaders from the city of Las Vegas and several medical schools spoke Tuesday, Sept. 29, at a State of Medicine in Southern Nevada panel at Las Vegas City Hall, the Las Vegas Sun reported. The Downtown Vegas Alliance hosted the event as part of its Successes & Insights series. Speakers described ongoing construction in the Las Vegas Medical District and raised concerns about a shortage of residency programs.

According to the Sun, the region is adding labs, training facilities and medical offices to the district. Panelists also said many newly trained doctors leave Nevada for residency. Those who train elsewhere are more likely to build their careers there.

Why residency slots matter

Where UNLV graduates go

Dr. Alison Netski, interim dean of UNLV's Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine, said about 40% of UNLV medical students have stayed in Nevada for residency. The other 60% leave because the state lacks programs in certain specialties. Among graduates who complete residencies or fellowships in Nevada, 65% stay to practice in the state, she said.

UNLV has 11 residency programs and 13 fellowships, with more planned, Netski said. She added that "it's going to take much more than what we have" to keep more graduates in Nevada.

A record match for Touro

Dr. Stacey Pierce-Talsma, dean of Touro University Nevada's College of Osteopathic Medicine in Henderson, said a record 72 of the college's graduates matched to Nevada residency programs this year. She called for better tracking of residency and fellowship outcomes. Leaders could then use that data to create more training opportunities and expand healthcare access across the state.

Las Vegas Mayor Shelley Berkley is a former senior vice president of the Touro University system. She said "hundreds of medical school graduates" from Southern Nevada must continue their training elsewhere each year. Berkley urged audience members to contact their legislators in support of more residency programs, calling that "a good start."

City investment in the Medical District

The district extends west from downtown along Charleston Boulevard, the Sun reported. It is anchored by University Medical Center, Valley Hospital Medical Center and UNLV's medical school. City Councilman Brian Knudsen said the city has spent "probably $150 million on infrastructure improvements," drawing "almost a billion dollars" in private-sector investment.

Dina Babsky, the city's director of economic and urban development, said Southern Nevada's healthcare economy has been growing faster than the region's overall economy. Several other medical office buildings and apartment complexes are in the works, she said. For more on projects reshaping the valley, see our development coverage.

Labs and a training center

Touro University and the Southern Nevada Health District are partnering to build a research laboratory in the district. The Nevada Health and Bioscience Corp. is building an academic laboratory next to UNLV's medical school building. That lab is expected to be completed by the end of the year, with an official opening in early 2027.

The College of Southern Nevada plans to operate a 30,000-square-foot Medical Education and Training Center near Wellness Way and Shadow Lane, Babsky said. It will offer healthcare training programs. The city has pledged $17 million to the project, which will include a childcare center on the first floor.

A hotel and new offices

Construction will soon begin on the district's first hotel, Babsky said. The five-story Home2 Suites by Hilton will have 130 rooms for healthcare workers and families of patients. A medical office building is planned for Symphony Park, next to the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health. Construction on that building is expected to begin late this year or early next year.

Support for students

Dr. Pedro "Joe" Greer Jr. is the founding dean of Roseman University College of Medicine. He said students are more likely to pursue a medical career when they get help, such as assistance repaying student loans, public transportation to class or childcare. He said Roseman and other schools teach students how nonmedical factors, such as consistent access to food or housing, can affect health, especially in underserved communities.

"If you're going to work for a healthy community, you've got to make social changes," Greer said, according to the Sun.

What to watch next

• The Las Vegas City Council is set to vote on a lease agreement with UNLV Health that would bring its pediatric clinic in as a tenant.
• Construction is set to begin soon on the 130-room Home2 Suites by Hilton, the district's first hotel.
• The academic laboratory next to UNLV's medical school building is expected to be completed by the end of the year, with an official opening in early 2027.
• Construction on the Symphony Park medical office building is expected to begin late this year or early next year.