LAS VEGAS, June 5, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- With the goal of greatly increasing the number of physicians serving in southern Nevada, MountainView Hospital and the University of Nevada School of Medicine have agreed to work toward the development of an expanded Graduate Medical Education (GME) program based at MountainView Hospital.
All GME positions are open to applicants from any accredited medical school. The planned GME program will represent a significant increase in existing GME positions in southern Nevada, from the current 233 to 380 or more, in several primary care and specialty disciplines. The program will help enhance the local supply of physicians serving southern Nevada and help to improve patient care access for the Las Vegas community. The expected start of the first residency program at MountainView Hospital could be as early as July 2016, depending on the speed with which a final affiliation agreement is reached. An agreement is expected to be completed before the end of 2014.
Preliminary discussions have focused on GME programs in critically needed primary care areas of internal medicine, family medicine and geriatrics, as well as general surgery, urology, neurology and selected medical and surgical subspecialties. The total program size of 150 additional resident positions will be developed over a five-year window.
GME, or residency training, is the phase of training after medical school that is required for a physician to practice medicine. It is the final phase of a long educational process and is most influential in determining where a physician eventually practices. The major expansion in southern Nevada residency training opportunities proposed in the partnership between the School of Medicine and MountainView Hospital is expected to have a significant impact on new physicians staying in Nevada to practice.
"The announcement that MountainView Hospital and the University of Nevada School of Medicine have joined together to create an expanded GME program for Nevada is commendable," said Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval. "I look forward to MountainView accepting its first residents and for the larger impact this will have on Nevada healthcare."
Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman said, "This is only going to help our state and is a giant step toward our long-awaited goal of establishing an expanded, quality GME program in Nevada."
"This is an innovative program for Las Vegas and MountainView Hospital. We are looking forward to working with the University of Nevada School of Medicine toward a Graduate Medical Education program," said Chris Mowan, Chief Executive Officer, MountainView Hospital. "We want to help grow the pipeline of new physicians, and we want them to stay in our community. Offering medical students more options for their residency will keep more physicians in Nevada and assist as we continue to elevate patient care in our community."
"This partnership with MountainView Hospital is incredibly exciting, and is particularly notable because private hospitals have not traditionally affiliated with medical schools for large residency training programs," said Thomas L. Schwenk, M.D., Dean of the University of Nevada School of Medicine. "This agreement is a tribute to the vision and leadership of MountainView's medical staff, the Board of Trustees and the entire care team. This affiliation could lead to 50 to 60 residency and fellowship graduates each year who have a high likelihood of staying in southern Nevada and enhancing its health and health care."
About MountainView Hospital:
MountainView Hospital is a state-of-the-art, full-service medical facility located in the heart of northwest Las Vegas, one of the fastest growing areas in the Valley. With a dedicated and talented staff of employees and outstanding physicians, MountainView Hospital (MVH) is recognized for high patient satisfaction and for providing quality and compassionate care to our community for the past 16 years. The hospital is a member of the respected Sunrise Health System consisting of Sunrise Hospital, Sunrise Children's Hospital, Southern Hills Hospital and several surgery and diagnostic imaging centers offering a complete range of specialized and technologically advanced services.
MountainView Hospital
3100 N. Tenaya Way
Las Vegas, NV 89128
www.mountainview-hospital.com
Need to find a physician or get answers to your health questions? Call (702) 233-5474.
About University of Nevada School of Medicine:
The University of Nevada School of Medicine, a research-intensive, community-based, statewide medical school, has served Nevada for more than 45 years as its only public medical school. The School of Medicine's mission is improving the health of Nevada's diverse population through world-class biomedical research, an innovative curriculum integrating basic and clinical sciences, and highly competitive residency and fellowship programs that complement a statewide network of urban and rural clinical facilities. Through targeted growth and investment in research, clinical services and education, the School is a resource for improving health care regionally and across the country.
University of Nevada School of Medicine
2040 W. Charleston Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89102
(702) 671-2230
1664 S. Virginia St., MS 332
Reno, NV 89557
(775) 784-6001
medicine.nevada.edu
A photo accompanying this release is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=25767
Susan Hill Director of Marketing and Communications University of Nevada School of Medicine and Division of Health Sciences Office: (775) 784-6006 cell: (775) 338-7918 Jennifer McDonnell Vice President, Marketing/Communications, MountainView Hospital Office: (702) 562-5633 cell: (702) 327-0662
