Strategic Plan

Overview

The Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV is developing a strategic plan to guide the school over the next three to five years. The strategic planning process provides a collaborative framework for advancing the school’s mission of improving the health of individuals and communities through excellence in medical education, patient-centered care, research, and community engagement. The school’s mission and vision statements will be updated as part of this process.

The plan will establish a shared vision, connect long-term institutional direction with near-term milestones, guide sustainable growth, and align institutional priorities with capital and operating budgets. It will guide decision-making to support accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement across all mission areas.

Through an inclusive governance structure that engages faculty, staff, students, residents, community partners, and institutional leaders, the process supports collaboration, transparency, and evidence-based decision-making. It will identify strategic priorities, establish measurable goals and objectives, and assess performance to ensure the school remains responsive to the evolving needs of Nevada’s healthcare workforce and the communities it serves.

Strategic Priorities

The school of medicine advances its mission through six strategic priorities that guide decision-making, resource allocation, institutional performance, and continuous improvement. These priorities serve as the foundation for strategic initiatives, annual operating plans, and performance measurement across the school.

Education

Deliver an innovative, evidence-based educational experience that prepares the next generation of physicians, scientists, and healthcare leaders. Promote excellence across undergraduate medical education, graduate medical education, continuing professional development, and lifelong learning while fostering professionalism, leadership, interprofessional collaboration, and academic success.

Research

Foster a culture of scientific excellence, innovation, and inquiry that advances biomedical, clinical, translational, health services, and population health research. Support interdisciplinary collaboration, expand research infrastructure and funding, and translate discoveries into improved health outcomes for Nevada and beyond.

Patient Care

Provide exceptional, patient- and family-centered care that is safe, equitable, compassionate, accessible, and evidence-based. Strengthen clinical partnerships that improve quality, patient outcomes, population health, and the overall patient experience while supporting the school's educational and research missions.

Community

Advance the health and well-being of the people of Nevada by strengthening partnerships with healthcare organizations, government agencies, community leaders, and patients. Promote health equity, improve access to care, address workforce shortages, and respond to the evolving healthcare needs of the communities we serve.

People

Cultivate an inclusive, collaborative, and high-performing environment where faculty, staff, learners, and community partners thrive. Invest in leadership development, employee engagement, wellness, professional growth, diversity, quality, inclusion, belonging, and organizational excellence to support a culture of respect, accountability, and innovation.

Infrastructure & Administration

Strengthen institutional effectiveness through strategic governance, operational excellence, financial stewardship, data-informed decision-making, continuous quality improvement, and transparent accountability. Monitor progress through measurable goals, key performance indicators, and regular assessment to ensure successful execution of the strategic plan and achievement of institutional priorities.

Timeline

Strategic Planning Workshop
Steering Council and Pillar Groups
Listening Tours
Finalize Project Charter Monthly Pillar Group Meetings

Strategic Planning Summit (January 13 - 14)
Developing Measurable Objectives
Create KPIs
Develop Implementation Roadmap
Action Plan and Resource Plan
Evaluation and Assessment

Organizational Structure

The Strategic Planning Steering Council (SPSC), composed of the dean’s cabinet, serves as the primary governance body for strategic planning at the school of medicine. The council provides executive sponsorship, strategic direction, and oversight, aligning priorities with the school’s mission, vision, values, and long-term goals, as well as university objectives. It reviews and approves the strategic plan, considering available resources, accreditation expectations, and institutional needs. The dean serves as the final approving authority for the plan and major strategic decisions. Working with the Strategic Business Task Group, which coordinates planning and implementation, the council oversees progress across six strategic priorities: education, research, patient care, community, people, and infrastructure and administration. It reviews key performance indicators and institutional performance, recommends priorities and improvement initiatives, supports resource allocation, and helps remove implementation barriers.

The Faculty, Resident, and Student Strategic Advisory Councils provide structured opportunities for faculty, residents, fellows, and students to analyze strategic priorities and contribute recommendations that inform institutional decisions and initiatives. Working with the SPSC and the Strategic Business Task Group, these councils remain accountable to the shared governance process and adapt as priorities evolve. Their contributions, along with the SPSC’s broader engagement with faculty, staff, students, and residents, support inclusive planning and the school’s mission of excellence in medical education, research, and patient-centered care. Together, these groups promote collaboration, transparency, accountability, continuous improvement, and sustained progress toward the school’s strategic goals.

View Organizational Chart