Mission

The Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV serves our patients, students, medical professionals, and community as a transformational force for improving healthcare in Nevada. This is accomplished by delivering evidence-based, innovative centers of excellence in medical education and research; offering cost-effective, high-quality care that improves the health of our community members throughout their lifespan; becoming an integral contributor to an Academic Health Center; and creating a culture of collaboration through inclusion and excellence.

Values

  • Striving for Excellence
  • Driving Innovation
  • Serving with Compassion & Humility
  • Demonstrating Inclusion
  • Acting with Integrity

Brand Promise

The Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine brand promises excellence in education, research, and patient care. As an integral part of the growing Academic Health Center in Southern Nevada, the school of medicine will continue the work of improving the health and well-being of the community for decades to come.

History

The Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV was officially established on August 22, 2014, when the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) Board of Regents approved funding for the medical school’s start-up costs. The budget was submitted to Governor Brian Sandoval and the Nevada Legislature, where it was approved. On June 11, 2015, Governor Sandoval signed Senate Bill 514 into law at the UNLV Student Union. The bill, along with other measures, provided start-up funding for the medical school.

The medical school is Nevada’s response to the need for more quality healthcare in Nevada. A Brookings-SRI report prior to the development of the school of medicine indicated not having a medical school was one of the largest threats to Southern Nevada’s economic prosperity. According to the Physician Workforce in Nevada 2022 Annual Publication, Nevada ranked 48th in the nation for the active number of primary care physicians per 100,000 population.

Kirk Kerkorian

Kirk Kerkorian (1917–2015), one of the most important figures to shape the city of Las Vegas, overcame poverty and an 8th grade education to become a prominent businessman, philanthropist, and billionaire. Once an amateur boxer, a World War II pilot who ferried bomber planes across the Atlantic on danger-filled missions, and a high-rolling gambler, Kerkorian eventually took on the risks of American business by building and owning some of the world’s largest hotels, airlines, automobile companies, and movie studios.

Kerkorian, a shy and unpretentious man, spent much of his life avoiding the spotlight and rarely gave interviews. His charitable foundation, The Lincy Foundation, named for his daughters Linda and Tracy, is the namesake and principle source of funding for The Lincy Institute at UNLV, which conducts and supports research that focuses on improving Nevada’s health, education, and social services. Kerkorian passed away in June of 2015 at the age of 98, after a long and amazing life.

In April 2021, the UNLV School of Medicine was renamed the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV in his honor.