Dr. Barbara Atkinson, who has spent the last 18 months shaping the region's first public medical school, has been named founding dean of the UNLV School of Medicine.

When Barbara Atkinson arrived in Las Vegas a year ago as the planning dean of UNLV’s new medical school, she spent her first months meeting community members.

Opening two new medical schools in Southern Nevada will bring more than brick and mortar changes.

The 2015 Nevada Legislature approved funding for two full-fledged medical schools in the state, but there’s more to the story between the (bottom) lines.

Higher education officials, health care professionals, business leaders and lawmakers made a lot of promises in creating a brand-new medical school at UNLV. Economic development. Improved health care. New physicians who’ll stay in the valley to alleviate critical doctor shortages. Significant community and philanthropic support to accompany the state funding required to get the school up and running. The rapid development of not merely a good medical school, but a great one that can attract excellent applicants and be highly selective in admissions.

The campaign to raise $6 million in scholarships for the first class of students at the proposed UNLV medical school was supposed to last the rest of the year.

A campaign to gather donations for the inaugural class of the UNLV School of Medicine raised $5.2 million in less than a month.

If you ever have ever tried to make a medical appointment, you probably noticed there is a shortage of doctors in Las Vegas and Nevada.