Annual Publication 2025 FINAL 05292025 accessible - Flipbook - Page 8
N
evada, and particularly Clark County, has long
struggled with a shortage of physicians. With
one of the lowest doctor-to-patient ratios in
the country, the state faces a critical challenge
— how to provide adequate healthcare to its
rapidly growing population. Currently, Nevada
ranks near the bottom in many key healthcare workforce
metrics. According to the data published in 2021 by the
Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the state has
approximately 218 physicians per 100,000 residents, compared
to the national average of 272 per 100,000. The data also shows
that Nevada ranks 45th for active physicians, 48th for primary
care physicians, and 49th for general surgeons per 100,000
population, underscoring the pressing need for more medical
professionals. Clark County, home to Las Vegas and the vast
majority of Nevada’s population, bears the brunt of this shortage.
The situation is even more severe in certain specialties, such as
primary care, psychiatry, and pediatrics, leaving many Nevadans
with long wait times or forcing them to seek care out of state.
The lack of in-state medical training opportunities has historically
exacerbated the problem. Medical school graduates often leave
Nevada for their residency training and never return, contributing
to the state’s ongoing physician de昀椀cit. Recognizing this
challenge, the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV has
8 KIRK KERKORIAN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT UNLV
been actively expanding its graduate medical education (GME)
programs to provide new pathways for aspiring physicians to
train and remain in Nevada. By training the next generation of
physicians and encouraging them to stay and practice in Nevada,
the medical school plays a vital role in improving healthcare
accessibility and quality in the region.
Governor Joe Lombardo, in his 2025 State of the State address,
underscored the critical role of GME in enhancing Nevada’s
healthcare landscape. After completing medical school, doctors
must undergo several years of hands-on training in hospitals and
clinics under the supervision of experienced professionals — also
known as residency programs. These residency programs are not
just crucial for developing competent physicians, but also serve
as an effective workforce retention strategy. Nationally, more
than 60% of doctors choose to practice where they complete
their residency training. In Nevada, approximately 55% of
physicians who complete their residency training in the state opt
to stay and practice in the state. While that is below the national
average, Nevada is 8th in the nation for retaining physicians who
complete both their medical degree and residency training in the
state — 77% of physicians who complete both undergraduate
medical education (UME) and graduate medical education opt
to stay.
