Editor’s Note:
Wonda Riner is chief information and marketing officer at the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV. She authored this column to highlight how the school is expanding graduate medical education to provide pathways for aspiring physicians to train and remain in Nevada.
Nevada, 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 deficit.
Recognizing this challenge, the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV has 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.
Gov. 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.
Acknowledging this, the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine has prioritized the expansion of its residency and fellowship programs to meet Nevada’s healthcare needs. Currently, UNLV’s GME programs train more than 325 residents and fellows across multiple specialties, including family medicine, internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, psychiatry, and emergency medicine. This effort is significantly increasing the number of doctors entering the state’s workforce and helping to stabilize Nevada’s healthcare system.
The impact of UNLV’s medical training programs is already being felt across Clark County, where UNLV residents and fellows, alongside faculty physicians, are providing care through the school’s associated multi-specialty academic medical practice, UNLV Health, and in the local hospitals that have partnered with the school. Under the supervision of UNLV faculty physicians, residents are exposed to a high-volume, high-acuity patient population, preparing them to handle the complexities of modern medicine.
While the strides made by UNLV’s medical school are impressive, more work remains to be done. Nevada continues to lag behind national averages in the number of residency slots available, due in part to limited funding for GME programs. Expanding these programs requires both state and federal investment, as well as partnerships with local hospitals and healthcare practices.
Additionally, the ongoing development of new residency and fellowship programs — particularly in high-demand specialties like neurology, hematology, and medical oncology — will ensure that Nevada continues to build a comprehensive healthcare workforce capable of meeting the needs of its growing and aging population.
The importance of GME cannot be overstated. Residency programs are the cornerstone of a well-functioning healthcare system, and the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV is leading the charge in addressing Nevada’s physician shortages. By training, retaining, and expanding the number of doctors practicing in the state, UNLV’s GME programs are making a tangible difference in the lives of Nevadans.
As Clark County and the rest of Nevada continue to grow, the need for qualified physicians will only become more pressing. Through sustained investment in GME programs and a commitment to keeping medical talent within the state, Nevada can work toward a future where everyone has access to quality healthcare.
Thanks to the efforts of UNLV and its partners, that future is closer than ever.
