Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield commits $2 million to UNLV rheumatology fellowship

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield has pledged $2 million to the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV. The funds will establish a permanent fellowship endowment for rheumatologists. This specialty treats conditions like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and chronic joint pain.

Nevada currently has one rheumatologist for every 125,000 residents. That ratio ranks the state 49th in the nation. Joann Strobbe, president and CEO of UNLV Health, noted that the scarcity makes timely appointments difficult for patients.

"It takes a lot of time spent with a doctor," Strobbe said. "And that's why it's often difficult to get an appointment in a timely fashion, especially when you have such a shortage here."

Dr. Alison Netski, dean of the School of Medicine, described the financial challenges of starting new residency programs. She said the federal government and hospitals typically bear the cost. This leaves Nevada in a difficult position regarding the sustainability of new medical training positions.

"So, partnerships like we have with Anthem are really critical to securing the future of the physician workforce in Nevada," Netski said.

The endowment will fund one fellowship position every year for the life of the school. Kate Martin, senior associate dean for graduate medical education, explained that these fellows are already medical doctors. They have completed their initial residency and now train under experienced faculty at UNLV Health.

Martin stated that trainees treat patients from their first day under supervision. This model allows the medical team to see more patients by pairing a physician with a fellow. "They're already MDs; they've gone through a residency, and now they're doing a fellowship with trained doctors," Strobbe said.

University leaders hope the training will keep new doctors in the state. Martin cited data suggesting an 80% likelihood that physicians remain in their training community after finishing. Strobbe said UNLV Health intends to recruit a new fellow after each one graduates. The goal is to turn these trainees into full-time faculty members at the school and UNLV Health.

The announcement marks the latest effort to address the state's physician gap. Other medical institutions have recently launched similar training programs to meet local demand.

Netski said such public commitments help demonstrate the school's impact on Nevada's healthcare infrastructure.