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Kristina Deeter, MD, MBA, FAAP has been promoted from Vice Chair of Pediatrics to Chair of Pediatrics, University of Nevada Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med) and Physician-in-Chief, Renown Children’s Hospital, effective July 15, 2022. Dr. Deeter follows Dr. Max Coppes who recently stepped down to lead Renown’s Pennington Cancer Institute on a full-time basis. Dr. Coppes will continue to serve as Professor of Pediatrics and Internal Medicine at UNR Med. In her new role, Dr. Deeter will be responsible for leading a growing team of over 40 pediatric physician specialists and 15 general pediatric providers at Renown Children’s Hospital who provide over 30,000 patient and family visits annually for families across northern Nevada, Lake Tahoe and northern California. Larry Duncan, MS, Vice President of Pediatrics and Surgery & Administrator of Renown Children's & Women’s Services will serve as dyad partner with Dr. Deeter. “Together, Dr. Deeter and Larry Duncan will be responsible for the strategic direction, operations, fiscal management and recruitment of professionals to Renown Children’s,” said Sy Johnson, MBA, president and chief of staff for Renown Health. “As one of Renown’s ‘Destination Health’ service lines, Dr. Deeter and Larry will continue to support an integrated leadership model that puts the youngest patients- and their families- at the center of all that we do.” As Physician-in-Chief for Renown Children’s Hospital, Dr. Deeter will serve as a senior clinical leader with oversight for the healthcare system’s pediatric medical and surgical services, academic advancement, research and teaching programs. “Dr. Deeter is an energetic, collaborative physician, researcher and mentor who cares deeply about improving the health and well-being of children everywhere,” said Thomas Graf, MD, CEO of Renown Health. “This is an exceptionally exciting time to shape the future of pediatrics in this community, and we are so excited that she is embarking on this new role. I know her talent, energy and inspiring leadership will further elevate our mission of outstanding care, exceptional training, innovative research and impactful advocacy in children’s health.” Dr. Kris Deeter is a highly accomplished physician leader with over twenty years of experience in children’s hospitals and outpatient settings, including federal, academic and private practices. Locally, Dr. Deeter has served as Vice Chair of Pediatrics for Renown Children’s while also leading the ICU teams of Pediatrix National Medical Group as their Specialty Medical Officer since August 2021. For the past six years, she has been the Medical Director of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) and Pediatric Hospitalist teams for Renown and Pediatrix. Since 2017, Dr. Deeter has served as an Educator for REMSA and other Northern Nevada counties, providing pediatric education for Care Flight teams, paramedics and fire departments. Dr. Deeter also recently completed her MBA from the University of Nevada, Reno. “The School of Medicine is delighted to appoint Dr. Deeter as the new Chair of Pediatrics at UNR Med and Physician-in-Chief, Renown Children’s Hospital, says, Melissa Piasecki, MD, UNR Med Acting Dean. “She brings extensive experience in medical education, a positive leadership style and unwavering commitment to the community. We look forward to the ongoing development of medical education and research opportunities in pediatrics.” Dr. Deeter has a passion for service. Coming from an underserved background, her education started in a Head Start preschool. Years later, she received a full-ride scholarship to the University of California, Berkeley where she double-majored in biology and psychology. Dr. Deeter found her true calling in pediatrics while at medical school at New York Medical College. There, she developed an interest in pediatric HIV and infectious diseases while volunteering to help during the HIV/AIDS crisis. Her medical training was primarily funded through a government scholarship that allowed her to start her career as a pediatrician caring for underserved children with the National Health Service Corps. After residency, she and her military husband followed orders and educational opportunities and moved around the country. She worked in a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in San Antonio with predominantly Spanish-speaking patients and led one of the first academic pediatric hospitalist programs at the University of Texas. Early on, Dr. Deeter developed a passion for medical education developing a new curriculum for students and transitioning residents to new work hour rules. After a move with the military to Ft Benning, Georgia and a busy private practice, she was recruited to Seattle Children’s/University of Washington School of Medicine for ICU fellowship training. There, she joined a large DKA study group and launched her own research into sedation andcomfort practices for critically ill children, publishing in top journals in pediatrics. She later transitioned to clinical practice in a large CICU/PICU in South Florida where she continued her academic collaborations with Florida Atlantic University. Dr. Deeter volunteers her time locally and internationally, including many visits to help improve the only PICU in Haiti after the earthquake there in 2012. She was a board member for a women and children’s hospital in Bangladesh while also supporting local children’s organizations like Head Start. She has served in leadership positions throughout her career, both in academic and private settings, including terms as vice president of the Broward County (FL) medical society, legislative positions with the TMA and FMA, and chairing the hospital’s peer review committee. The Deeter family moved to Reno in 2016 for an opportunity to move closer to family and for what she calls her “dream job” as a leader at Renown Children’s Hospital. “Dr. Deeter is a highly competent and passionate care giver, dedicated teacher, and fierce advocate for the health and well-being of children and their families,” said Max J. Coppes MD, former Chair of Pediatrics (UNR Med) and Physician-in-Chief, Renown Children’s Hospital. “We are fortunate to have her step up to this new role. Her extensive experience will springboard our Children’s Hospital, our membership in Children’s Oncology Group, and if approved in September 2022, a new 3-year accredited pediatric residency program in Reno. She is an inspiration to all, and will help encourage UNR Med students who choose pediatric specialties to excel as pediatricians and eventually practice in northern Nevada, our rural communities and our state.” Dr. Deeter is a member of the Society of Critical Care Medicine: Pediatric section; American Academy of Pediatrics, Nevada Chapter; AAP Section Membership: Critical Care; Pediatric Trauma Society; Pediatric Sedation Society and the American Medical Association. She is a frequent contributor to national and local media on topics regarding pediatrics and child health. The University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med), Nevada’s first public medical school, is a community-based, research-intensive medical school with a statewide vision for a healthy Nevada. Since 1969, UNR Med has trained more than 3,900 students, residents and fellows. UNR Med continues to improve the health and well-being of all Nevadans and their communities through excellence in student education, postgraduate training and clinical care, research with local, national and global impact and a culture of diversity and inclusion. For more information, visit med.unr.edu. Renown Health is the region’s largest, locally governed, not-for-profit integrated healthcare network serving Nevada, Lake Tahoeand northeast California. With a diverse workforce of more than 7,000 employees, Renown has fostered a longstanding culture of excellence, determination and innovation. The organization comprises a trauma center, two acute care hospitals, a children’s hospital, a rehabilitation hospital, a medical group and urgent care network, and the locally owned not-for-profit insurance company, Hometown Health. Renown is currently enrolling participants in the world’s largest community-based genetic population health study, the Healthy Nevada Project®.

Read More About Kristina Deeter, MD, MBA, FAAP Appointed Chair of Pediatrics (UNR Med) and Physician-in-Chief, Renown Children’s Hospital

Becker’s list of Hospitals and Health Systems with Great Psychiatry and Mental Health Programs for 2023 has been published, recognizing professional healthcare leaders across the country.    Renown Health and the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine have been recognized among the top programs in the United States. This acknowledgement reflects a commitment from a dedicated team of experienced local professionals providing comprehensive mental health services and advancing the field of psychiatry.    In their announcement, Becker’s highlighted that, “In 2018, a $6 million donation (by the Stacie Mathewson Foundation), funded the creation of the Stacie Mathewson Behavioral Health & Addiction Institute at Renown Health. The institute was formed to address increased prescription drug-related mortality rates and suicide rates in northern Nevada. The department is now fully integrated with University of Nevada School of Medicine's psychiatry residency, child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship programs, and behavioral sciences and clinical psychiatry medical student training. The curriculum emphasizes the value of psychotherapy, psychopharmacology, and interventional psychiatry methods, along with primary care team integration.”   Becker’s editors noted that, “Innovative public and private partnerships with the state include the SOAR early intervention treatment program for those experiencing their first episode of psychosis. A 24-hour crisis stabilization center will open in 2024 for adults with mental health or substance use issues. The Connect Washoe County mental health collaborative, part of the hospital’s community benefit program, hosts the Youth Mental Health Summit, with a number of interventions resulting in reduced use of street and prescription drugs, lower hospitalization rates due to opioid overdose, and fewer cases of intentional suicide mortality in youth.”    “We are honored to be recognized as one of the top psychiatry and mental health programs in the U.S. This achievement reflects the dedication of our integrated team and our unwavering commitment to enhancing the lives of individuals and families affected by mental health challenges. We will continue to strive for excellence and address the diverse needs of individuals struggling with behavioral health issues, said Takesha Cooper, MD, Department Chair of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. “Our team comprises skilled psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists and support staff who collaborate to provide holistic and integrated care for our patients. As the region’s only not-for-profit health system, together with the support of grateful donors like Stacie Mathewson, we will continue to actively engage in outreach initiatives to raise awareness about mental health, reduce stigma and create a community that fosters healing and support.”  Renown Health also earned Forbes' Best Healthcare Employer in Nevada for combatting burnout and ensuring well-being and safety of caregivers. About Renown Health Renown Health is the region’s largest, locally governed, not-for-profit integrated healthcare network serving Nevada, Lake Tahoe and northeast California. With a diverse workforce of more than 7,000 employees, Renown has fostered a longstanding culture of excellence, determination and innovation. The organization comprises a trauma center, two acute care hospitals, a children’s hospital, a rehabilitation hospital, a medical group and urgent care network, and the locally owned not-for-profit insurance company, Hometown Health. For more information, visit renown.org. About the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine The University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med), Nevada’s first public medical school, is a community-based, research-intensive medical school with a statewide vision for a healthy Nevada. Since 1969, UNR Med has trained more than 3,900 students, residents and fellows. UNR Med continues to improve the health and well-being of all Nevadans and their communities through excellence in student education, postgraduate training and clinical care, research with local, national and global impact and a culture of diversity and inclusion. For more information, visit med.unr.edu.

Read More About Reno Home to "Great Psychiatry and Mental Health Program;" Renown and UNR School of Medicine Named to Becker's National List

Today, leaders from Renown Health, the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) Board of Regents, the University of Nevada, Reno and the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med) converged for an affiliation agreement certificate signing event.  The certificate signing commemorates the affiliation agreement - a 50-year commitment - between Renown Health and UNR Med establishing Nevada’s first integrated health system to advance health and health care through world-class medical education, clinical research and patient care for our community and our state.  The certificate signing event comes after the NSHE Board of Regents approved the agreement on June 11, 2021 and after Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak signed Senate Bill 342 into law on May 10, 2021 authorizing the NSHE Board of Regents to enter into an agreement such as the one with Renown Health.  A high resolution photo is available for download at med.unr.edu/news/archive/2021/affiliation-signing.   About Renown Health Renown Health is the region’s largest, locally governed, not-for-profit integrated healthcare network serving Nevada, Lake Tahoe and northeast California. With a diverse workforce of more than 7,000 employees, Renown has fostered a longstanding culture of excellence, determination and innovation. The organization comprises a trauma center, two acute care hospitals, a children’s hospital, a rehabilitation hospital, a medical group and urgent care network, and the region’s largest, locally owned not-for-profit insurance company, Hometown Health. Clinical institutes include: Cancer, Heart and Vascular Heath, Neurosciences and Robotic Surgery. Renown is currently enrolling participants in the world’s largest community-based genetic population health study, the Healthy Nevada Project®. For more information, visit renown.org. About University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine The University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine, Nevada’s first public medical school, is a community-based, research-intensive medical school with a statewide vision for a healthy Nevada. Since 1969, UNR Med has trained more than 3,900 students, residents and fellows. UNR Med continues to improve the health and well-being of all Nevadans and their communities through excellence in student education, postgraduate training and clinical care, research with local, national and global impact and a culture of diversity and inclusion. For more information, visit med.unr.edu.

Read More About Renown Health and the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine hosted affiliation agreement certificate signing event

Renown Health and University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med)leadership provided an informational update to the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) Board of Regents at its March 5 meeting on the due diligence process undertaken by both organizations to explore an intent to affiliate that would lead to the first fully integrated health system in northern Nevada. University of Nevada, Reno President Brian Sandoval; UNR Med Dean Thomas L. Schwenk, M.D. and Renown Health President and CEO Anthony Slonim, M.D., DrPH, FACHE, discussed the near-final Affiliation Agreement, which details the guiding principles of the proposed partnership and how the integration of clinical services, education and research will operate, including the purpose, structure, governance, funds flow, joint leadership roles, faculty positions, operational management, mission and culture. The final agreement will require Renown Health Board and NSHE Board of Regent approval. Like many health care systems and medical schools across the nation, Renown Health and the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine have collaborated for decades to advance a mutual commitment to improving the health of the community. Since mid-2020, the organizations have been exploring formalizing a high-level clinical integration. In September 2020, the NSHE Board of Regents unanimously endorsed a Letter of Intent between the two organizations, which advanced a period of due diligence to further define the relationship. The partnership is designed to enhance Nevada’s medical education system, expand clinical research capacity in northern Nevada and create a world-class integrated health system that improves access to patient care for all and achieves a vision of a healthy Nevada. Over the last five decades, UNR Med has educated more than 3,900 physicians with over 30% percent practicing in Nevada, increasing access to care for Nevadans across the state. Equally rooted in the community, Renown’s long legacy of service started in 1862 as a county hospital, Washoe Medical Center. Now, Renown Health serves the community by providing care through hospitals, outpatient medical offices, institutes and an insurance plan, Hometown Health.     About Renown Health Renown Health is the region’s largest, locally owned and governed, not-for-profit integrated healthcare network serving Nevada, Lake Tahoe and northeast California. With a diverse workforce of more than 7,000 employees, Renown has fostered a longstanding culture of excellence, determination and innovation. The organization comprises a trauma center, two acute care hospitals, a children’s hospital, a rehabilitation hospital, a medical group and urgent care network, and the region’s largest, locally owned not-for-profit insurance company, Hometown Health. Renown’s institute model addresses social determinants of health and includes: Child Health, Behavioral Health & Addiction, Healthy Aging and Health Innovation. Clinical institutes include: Cancer, Heart and Vascular Heath, Neurosciences and Robotic Surgery. Renown is currently enrolling participants in the world’s largest community-based genetic population health study, the Healthy Nevada Project®. For more information, visit renown.org. About University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine The University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine, Nevada’s first public medical school, is a community-based, research-intensive medical school with a statewide vision for a healthy Nevada. Since 1969, UNR Med has trained more than 3,900 students, residents and fellows. UNR Med continues to improve the health and well-being of all Nevadans and their communities through excellence in student education, postgraduate training and clinical care, research with local, national and global impact and a culture of diversity and inclusion. For more information, visit med.unr.edu.Media Contact for UNR Med: Julie Ardito, APRM: 775-846-8445E: jardito@med.unr.edu

Read More About Renown and University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine Affiliation Update

Renown Health and the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med) announced today their intent to develop plans for a proposed long-term partnership designed to enhance Nevada’s medical education system, expand clinical research capacity in northern Nevada and create a world-class healthcare network.   The collaboration between Nevada’s oldest medical school and one of its largest non-profit healthcare organizations is well underway, with the organizations executing a Letter of Intent. The final agreement with details of the arrangement is slated to be signed by the end of the year.   “Over the last 50 years, Renown Health has been an important UNR Med partner. We share a common vision, and recognize how expanding our collaboration will benefit the community through increased access to care and expanded clinical training and research programs. We know we can do more together than we would be able to do separately," said UNR Med Dean and Vice President, Health Sciences, Thomas L. Schwenk, M.D., professor, family and community medicine. "As healthcare professionals, we are forever changed by the events of the last six months. This new affiliation acknowledges our changing educational and healthcare environment, and advances our state-wide vision of A Healthy Nevada."   Like many healthcare systems and medical schools across the nation, Renown Health and the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine have worked together for decades to advance a mutual commitment to improving the health of the community. Over the last five decades, UNR Med has educated more than 3,900 physicians with over 30 percent practicing in Nevada, increasing access to care for residents across the state. Equally rooted in the community, Renown’s long legacy of service started in 1862 as a county hospital, Washoe Medical Center. Now, Renown Health serves the community by providing care through hospitals, outpatient medical offices, institutes and an insurance plan, Hometown Health.   Expanding on their long history of collaboration, both Renown Health and UNR Med have new strategic plans based on recruiting top-tier physicians and healthcare professionals, improving access to and developing new models of innovative care, and investing in clinical research. As pillars of healthcare in northern Nevada, both provide key services for underserved populations, and collaborate to educate, train and employ the next generation of doctors and healthcare professionals to support the health of local and rural communities, the state and the nation.   “This new agreement builds on the close collaboration we have had for many years with UNR Med leadership,” says Anthony D. Slonim, MD, DrPH, FACHE, President and CEO, Renown Health; who also serves as professor of clinical medicine and pediatrics at University of Nevada, Reno, School of Medicine. “We have collaborated in research, medical education, grant funding for public health, clinical trials and integrated clinical practices to improve access and affordability of care. We both serve communities with significant health needs and socioeconomic challenges that have worsened through this pandemic. We recognize that this new level of affiliation will drive innovation and research that improves the health of our community, and together, we can be more effective in creating a healthier Nevada.”   University of Nevada, Reno President Marc A. Johnson, PhD, said, “Physicians, clinicians and clinical researchers from the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine and Renown have worked together to care for patients during the COVID-19 crisis, from the bedside, to the research labs, and to the medical offices. That is a powerful example of the partnership between the two organizations as we have faced a historic pandemic. This new agreement reinforces what has already been a strong and impactful partnership. It promises to extend the healthcare mission of our School of Medicine and Renown for a community benefit that will be felt far beyond the next generation.”   James DeVolld, board chair of Renown said, “During such a difficult time for our community, we are thrilled to bring two great organizations together, and present the community with such a precious gift. We have an urgent imperative to transform the delivery and financing of healthcare. Health systems and medical schools across the country are collaborating in innovative new ways, finding new efficiencies and better solutions by sharing clinical experience, intellectual resources, grants and community support.”   Max J. Coppes, MD, PhD, Professor and Nell J. Redfield Chair of Pediatrics at UNR Med and Physician-in-Chief at Renown Children’s Hospital, added, “We are thrilled to have the support of so many elected officials, UNR Med students, alumni, donors, and community members to advance a mutual commitment to ensuring that people in northern Nevada can get top medical care right here at home. The envisioned integration will result in better access to state-of-the-art patient care, enhance and expand our ability to teach the next generation of healthcare providers, and actively engage in medical research, bringing new clinical research trials to our area.” Dr. Coppes noted the partnership’s previous success in 2014 when Renown Health and UNR Med collaborated in launching a transformation of Renown Children’s Hospital, the region’s only children’s hospital dedicated to full pediatric services.   Dean Schwenk will present the Letter of Intent to the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) Board of Regents on Friday, September 11. With NSHE regent approval, the affiliation will enter a period of review and due diligence within the organizations and with the relevant regulatory and oversight bodies. Until then, it will be business as usual within the two organizations. The process is estimated to continue through the end of the year.   “Together, we can bring a higher level of world-class care providers, leading-edge care and new delivery approaches to meet the needs of people in our community,” said Sy Johnson, MBA, and Chief of Staff for Renown Health. “This is what we call Destination Health, enabling patients and families, including both local patients and those traveling long distances, to receive the most comprehensive medical care, right here at home.”   The planned integration resembles other partnerships such as Washington University—Barnes Jewish Health System, Yale New Haven Health System, Penn Medicine, and RWJ-Barnabas-Rutgers. These partnerships expand medical education training opportunities for students and residents, retain more physician graduates in the community, recruit prominent physicians and researchers and build a more robust healthcare workforce.         About Renown Health Renown Health is the region’s largest, locally owned and governed, not-for-profit integrated healthcare network serving Nevada, Lake Tahoe and northeast California. With a diverse workforce of more than 7,000 employees, Renown has fostered a longstanding culture of excellence, determination and innovation. The organization comprises a trauma center, two acute care hospitals, a children’s hospital, a rehabilitation hospital, a medical group and urgent care network, and the region’s largest, locally owned not-for-profit insurance company, Hometown Health. Renown’s institute model addresses social determinants of health and includes: Child Health, Behavioral Health & Addiction, Healthy Aging and Health Innovation. Clinical institutes include: Cancer, Heart and Vascular Heath, Neurosciences and Robotic Surgery. Renown is currently enrolling participants in the world’s largest community-based genetic population health study, the Healthy Nevada Project®. For more information, visit renown.org.     About University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine The University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine, Nevada’s first public medical school, is a community-based, research-intensive medical school with a statewide vision for a healthy Nevada. Since 1969, UNR Med has trained more than 3,900 students, residents and fellows. UNR Med continues to improve the health and well-being of all Nevadans and their communities through excellence in student education, postgraduate training and clinical care, research with local, national and global impact and a culture of diversity and inclusion. For more information, visit med.unr.edu. UNR Med Public Relations Media Contact M: 775-846-8445 E: jardito@med.unr.edu

Read More About Renown Health and University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine Announce Intent to Affiliate

Experienced physician, researcher, mentor, and educator to lead obstetrics and gynecology department at the University of Nevada Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med) and Renown Health. James M. Alexander, M.D., an experienced leader and clinician in OB/GYN, is regularly in the room at the beginning of something new, so it’s fitting that he is one of the first jointly appointed senior clinical leaders of Nevada’s first integrated health system. As the chair of the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med) and Renown Health, Dr. Alexander will lead the medical and surgical services, academic advancement, research, and teaching programs for the healthcare system. A 50-year affiliation agreement signed in 2021 solidified the integration of the UNR Med, Nevada’s first medical school, with Renown, northern Nevada’s most extensive health system. “The affiliation offers a remarkable opportunity to advance health and health care through medical education, clinical research, and patient care for our community and our state,” Dr. Alexander said. “By integrating our teaching, research, and patient care, we can make a difference for women and children in Nevada and beyond.” He is one of the first of several planned joint-chair hires for UNR Med and Renown. “Dr. Alexander is a dedicated obstetrician and gynecologist who takes great pride in his work as a researcher and mentor,” said Melissa Piasecki, M.D., UNR Med Acting Dean, and Renown Chief Academic Officer. “He has a deep commitment to improving women's health and fostering the careers of future physicians in this specialty. Our school of medicine and health system are very fortunate to have recruited Dr. Alexander and will benefit from the growth of clinical services, medical education and clinical research in obstetrics and gynecology under his direction.”” A 1991 graduate of the University of Texas at Houston, Dr. Alexander most recently chaired the OB/GYN department at the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV. He completed his residency at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and a fellowship in Maternal Fetal Medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern. He was recruited to the faculty at UTSW after finishing his fellowship and held several leadership positions there, including chief of the obstetrics service. Dr. Alexander established himself as a clinical investigator at UTSW and served as co-investigator on several studies conducted by the Maternal Fetal Medicine Units Network of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. He has published widely on obstetrics and maternal fetal medicine topics, including cesarean delivery, prematurity, obstetric complications, labor management, and obstetric anesthesia. He has contributed to the leading textbook on obstetrics, “Williams Obstetrics.” Following his tenure at UTSW, Dr. Alexander held the positions of division director of maternal fetal medicine at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences as well as director of maternal fetal medicine and obstetrics at the Billings Clinic. He is board certified in Obstetrics and Maternal Fetal Medicine and currently serves as an examiner for the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. “Shaping the future of healthcare in our state has never been more important than it is now,” said Rahul Mediwala, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of the Health Services Division at Renown Health. “I do not doubt that Dr. Alexander will apply his skills, enthusiasm, and guiding leadership to improve our community's health through increased access to care, innovative health care delivery, and expanding clinical research.”     About University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine The University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med), Nevada’s first public medical school, is a community-based, research-intensive medical school with a statewide vision for a healthy Nevada. Since 1969, UNR Med has trained more than 3,900 students, residents and fellows. UNR Med continues to improve the health and well-being of all Nevadans and their communities through excellence in student education, postgraduate training and clinical care, research with local, national and global impact and a culture of diversity and inclusion. For more information, visit med.unr.edu.   About Renown Health Renown Health is the region’s largest, locally governed, not-for-profit integrated healthcare network serving Nevada, Lake Tahoe and northeast California. With a diverse workforce of more than 7,000 employees, Renown has fostered a longstanding culture of excellence, determination and innovation. The organization comprises a trauma center, two acute care hospitals, a children’s hospital, a rehabilitation hospital, a medical group and urgent care network, and the locally owned not-for-profit insurance company, Hometown Health. Renown is currently enrolling participants in the world’s largest community-based genetic population health study, the Healthy Nevada Project®. For more information, visit renown.org.

Read More About James M. Alexander M.D., Named First OB/GYN Chair for Nevada's First Integrated Health System

The University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med) and Renown Health are pleased to announce the accreditation of a new three-year Pediatrics Residency Program with the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). The inaugural cohort of pediatric residents will start next summer, in July of 2023. The new residency will help shape future pediatric practices – and fill a state and nation-wide physician specialist shortage. Over a three-year period, four newly trained physicians will be selected each year for a total complement of twelve residents. “Creating a Pediatric Residency Program for our community has been a dream more than five years in the making,” says Max Coppes, MD, PhD, MBA, former Nell J. Redfield Chair of Pediatrics at the UNR Med and pediatrician-in-chief at Renown Children’s Hospital. “Currently, UNR Med students interested in becoming pediatricians must leave the area to complete their residency training elsewhere. The William N. Pennington Foundation has paved the way for this program, which will create a pipeline of much-needed pediatricians for our state, especially in under-served and rural areas – to serve vulnerable children and families of Nevada with high-quality, affordable care.” The vision to grow pediatric services into a full-fledged children’s hospital with a robust academic department of pediatrics in Reno began in 2014 when Renown Health and UNR Med agreed to recruit an academic pediatrician who would serve both as Chair of Pediatrics at UNR Med and as Pediatrician-in-Chief of Renown Children’s Hospital. The Nell J. Redfield Foundation donated $1.5M towards this initiative and expressed the hope to see a pediatric residency program established for the community. After the recruitment of Dr. Max Coppes for this role in 2016, The William N. Pennington Foundation recognized the need for enhanced care and expertise for pediatrics and donated $7.5 million to Renown Children’s Hospital to establish the William N. Pennington Fund for Advanced Pediatric Care. Through these gifts, 100,000 area children now have access to more than 15 specialized pediatricians, including those specializing in oncology, orthopedics, pulmonology, emergency medicine, urology and other subspecialties previously lacking in the community, as well as a pediatric emergency room, pediatric ICU and contemporary healthcare services at Renown Children’s Hospital. Prior to 2016, about 30%of all pediatric patients had to leave northern Nevada to receive the specialty care they needed. Now, thanks to donor support, Renown estimates that 97% of all pediatric patients and their families can receive both general and specialty pediatric care locally. The next nearest children’s hospital in the state is 7 hours or 438 miles away in Las Vegas. Melissa Piasecki, MD, Acting Dean of UNR Med and Chief Academic Officer for Renown, explains, “Residencies are specialty training programs for doctors after they graduate from medical school. Before becoming licensed physicians, medical school graduates train for three or more years learning from more experienced attending physicians.” She adds, “This new residency is a tremendous step forward for the UNR Med and Renown Health affiliation – and for our entire community. This pediatric residency program advances a mutual commitment to recruit and retain skilled and compassionate physicians and healthcare professionals, improve access to healthcare and invest in clinical research that improves the health of this generation and the next. Within the UNR Med andRenown affiliation, we created an integrated Graduate Medical Education Consortium Council (GME-CC) to provide strategic oversight and growth of residency programs within the affiliation. In this agreement, UNR Med is the sponsoring institution for accreditation and Renown Health and the VA are the clinical training partners. The process moved so smoothly; within six months of the affiliation, the GME-CC voted to support a new pediatric residency. This is a great addition to our existing residencies at UNR Med, which include family medicine, internal medicine, psychiatry and behavioral sciences, and provides our students with a great training opportunity in pediatrics.” Nevada faces a severe physician workforce shortage, ranking 45th in the nation for active physicians per 100,000 people. The physician workforce shortage is especially critical for pediatricians, with Nevada ranking 47th in the country with fewer than 10 pediatricians for every 100,000 people. The northern Nevada community is growing rapidly and Washoe County faces additional pediatrician shortages as local physicians approach retirement. “This new residency is an opportunity to train the next generation of pediatricians who will want to continue providing care in northern Nevada,” said Kristina Deeter, MD, MBA, FAAP, Interim UNR Med Chair of Pediatrics and Physician-in-Chief at Renown Children’s Hospital. “Our community continues to grow. This new pediatric residency-training program will allow Nevada to have a supply of outstanding, compassionate physicians, now and into the future. With our exceptional team of existing pediatricians, pediatric specialists, medical teams and support staff, we are committed to providing a comprehensive and rewarding educational experience for our trainees.” “It truly is a dream come true. We are indebted to the comprehensive team that has built the structure, recruited faculty to support the training program and successfully recruited a Program Director, Dr. Caroline Barangan, and Associate Program Director, Dr. Shilpi Garg, a 2012 UNR Med alumna,” says Lawrence Duncan, MS, VP and Administrator for Renown Women & Children’s Hospital. “Between now and summer 2023, we will add the foundational pieces needed to ensure the success of the program including recruiting a Chief Resident, ongoing faculty development and ensuring that all components are in place for recruiting, teaching, supervising and mentoring residents.” “One of the main obstacles for increasing the number of physicians to care for our growing community is the relative lack of pediatric residency programs in the state and the absence of a program in northern Nevada. Residency programs in pediatrics recruit and train students completing medical school and seeking residency training to become a pediatrician,” says Caroline Barangan, MD, Pediatric Residency Program Director, Renown Health and UNR Med. “Workforce research consistently shows that students who complete a residency tend to stay and practice in the communities where they completed their residency training program. For those who complete medical school and residency in the same place, over 75% stay to practice in that community.” “In August, recognizing the need to grow the state’s physician workforce in high-needs specialties, Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak and the Office of Science, Innovation and Technology announced the funding of five graduate medical education residency and fellowship programs, including $870,433 for the UNR Med Pediatrics Residency Program,” said Christine Bosse, Chief Government Affairs Officer for Renown Health. “Nevada produces more undergraduate medical students than it has available residencies and fellowships. Additionally, Nevada lacks fellowships in some specialties that are of interest to students. As a result, many highly educated students must leave the state for further training at a time when they are beginning real-world application of their advanced education. We appreciate that the GME Grant funding will assist the state and our community, in attracting, educating and retaining more doctors for Nevada.” “This new community-based program will provide residents with a strong foundation in primary care pediatrics as well as broad, in-depth exposure to all pediatric subspecialties. This will create graduates equally well prepared for careers in general pediatric practice, service to the state’s rural and underserved communities or in academics," adds David Carlson, MD, UNR Med Associate Dean, Graduate Medical Education, Designated Institutional Officer. “Through the program, pediatric residents will spend their 36-month residency focused on children’s care and complete a primary care-focused clinical training program with rotations that allow them to learn while caring for children in both inpatient and outpatient settings with supervising pediatricians and pediatric specialists at Renown Children’s Hospital.” “The Pediatrics Residency Program is a wonderful opportunity to continue a tradition of academic excellence alongside Renown Health’s record of clinical excellence,” said Brian Sandoval, President, University of Nevada, Reno. “This is one more way our affiliation, signed in 2021 to establish the first fully integrated health system in Nevada, is helping to expand clinical training and clinical research programs as well as improve access to clinical care for all Nevadans.” “We are proud to partner with UNR Med to bring this new residency program to our community,” says Thomas Graf, MD, interim Chief Executive Officer, Renown Health, “Attracting and retaining talent is a key component of our drive for excellence as a care leader and our mutual goal of improving the health of our community. We are fortunate to have the strong infrastructure necessary to create this program and a team of highly-skilled physicians who can train the next generation of pediatricians.” For the 2023 residency application cycle, UNR Med will participate in the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) and encourages applicants to visit the UNR Med GME website for more information.  About UNR Med The University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med), Nevada’s first public medical school, is a community-based, research-intensive medical school with a statewide vision for a healthy Nevada. Since 1969, UNR Med has trained more than 3,900 students, residents and fellows. UNR Med continues to improve the health and well-being of all Nevadans and their communities through excellence in student education, postgraduate training and clinical care, research with local, national and global impact and a culture of diversity and inclusion. For more information, visit med.unr.edu. About Renown Health Renown Health is Nevada’s largest, locally governed, not-for-profit integrated healthcare network serving Nevada, Lake Tahoe and northeast California. With a diverse workforce of more than 6,500 employees, Renown has fostered a longstanding culture of excellence, determination and innovation. The organization comprises a trauma center, two acute care hospitals, a children’s hospital, a rehabilitation hospital, a medical group and urgent care network, and the locally owned not-for-profit insurance company, Hometown Health. Renown is currently enrolling participants in a community-based genetic population health study, the Healthy Nevada Project®.

Read More About Approval of New Pediatric Physician Residency Program Helps Improve Care for Children and Families in Nevada

Samuel Austin Lee, M.D., Ph.D., FIDSA has joined the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med) and Renown Health as Department Chair of Internal Medicine. Dr. Lee comes to Nevada from New England, where he served as Chief of Medicine for the White River Junction (VT) Veteran’s Administration Medical Center and Professor of Medicine at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth.  Dr. Lee previously served as an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, and a member of the San Antonio Center for Medical Mycology.  He next served on the faculty for University of New Mexico, as Section Chief, Infectious Diseases at the VA Albuquerque Medical Center, and as Medical Director of the HIV clinic at the VA Albuquerque.  Dr. Lee will serve as the joint academic and administrative leader defining clinical operations to expand care; enhancing teaching and training programs vital to ambulatory and acute care medicine in northern Nevada, and fostering clinical and translational research and diversity missions. Dr. Lee will also serve as the liaison to the VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System, expanding the 30-year academic partnership to enhance general internal medicine and specialty services critical to the community. “We are delighted to have Dr. Lee join us,” said Paul J. Hauptman, MD, Dean of UNR Med and Chief Academic Officer for Renown Health. “He has a strong background in academic medicine, demonstrated excellence in clinical care, medical education and research, and is universally respected as a compassionate physician leader. Dr. Lee will do much to advance the mission of UNR Medicine’s Internal Medicine Residency program and expand related Graduate Medical Education opportunities, thereby helping to train the next generation of physicians.”  “Dr. Lee is a collaborative physician, researcher and mentor who cares deeply about improving the health of our community,” said Brian Erling, MD, MBA, President and CEO, Renown Health. “This is an exceptionally exciting time for him to help craft our vision to offer more efficient and affordable care, elevate the patient experience, and advance health equity across northern Nevada. He will further elevate our mission of outstanding care, exceptional training, innovative research, impactful advocacy, and innovative community partnerships. We are fortunate to have him joining our team and community.” Dr. Lee will oversee the Division Chiefs of Acute Hospital Services at Renown Regional Medical Center, numerous subspecialists across Renown Medical Group, and the Healthy Nevada Project®. He will serve as an active internist and infectious disease subspecialist.  Dr. Lee is a graduate of the seven-year Combined BA/MD Program at Boston University. He completed his internship and residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. He then trained in a three-year research track fellowship in Infectious Diseases at Yale University School of Medicine and continued at Yale as a Staff Physician at the VA Connecticut Healthcare System. He obtained his Ph.D. in Investigative Medicine in Yale University’s Graduate School. Dr. Lee’s research explores fungal pathogenesis, secretion, virulence, biofilm formation and antifungal drug discovery. His laboratory work, which has been supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and Department of Veterans Affairs Merit awards, involves research on fungal pathogenesis, novel antifungal therapies and treatment approaches against biofilm formation in Candida species, including drug repurposing, high-throughput screening of small molecule compound libraries, and studies of antifungal lock therapies for prevention of catheter-associated infections.  Dr. Lee is recognized for his passion for high-quality patient care and supports future practitioners through rigorous and culturally informed undergraduate and graduate medical education, research, and community collaboration. He maintains active involvement in national committees and editorial boards including Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, Plos ONE, Mycopathologia, Virulence, and The Journal of Mycology and is a member of the Peer Review Board for the Journal of Visualized Experiments. Dr. Lee was awarded the New Mexico School of Medicine Regents’ Lecturer Award in recognition of his contributions to clinical medicine, research and education. In 2020, he received special recognition from the Department of Veterans Affairs for his team’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. About the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine The University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med), Nevada’s first public medical school, is a community-based, research-intensive medical school with a statewide vision for a healthy Nevada. Since 1969, UNR Med has trained more than 3,900 students, residents and fellows. UNR Med continues to improve the health and well-being of all Nevadans and their communities through excellence in student education, postgraduate training and clinical care, research with local, national and global impact and a culture of diversity and inclusion. For more information, visit med.unr.edu. About Renown Health Renown Health is the region’s largest, locally governed, not-for-profit integrated healthcare network serving Nevada, Lake Tahoe, and northeast California. With a diverse workforce of more than 7,000 employees, Renown has fostered a longstanding culture of excellence, determination and innovation. The organization comprises a trauma center, two acute care hospitals, a children’s hospital, a rehabilitation hospital, a medical group and urgent care network, and the locally owned not-for-profit insurance company, Hometown Health. For more information, visit renown.org.

Read More About Samuel Austin Lee, M.D., Ph.D., Appointed Chair of Internal Medicine

Renown Health and the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med) are proud to announce a newly integrated and expanded research space called the Clinical Research Center (CRC). This space offers a dynamic physical location on the University of Nevada, Reno campus that supports the UNR Med and Renown Health research enterprise. "The partnership between Renown Health and UNR Med truly knows no bounds, and this Clinical Research Center is an incredible example of that endless possibility,” said Thomas Graf, MD, interim CEO of Renown Health. “This new space will only continue to expand our community’s access to clinical research as part of patient care while providing the necessary resources to engage our students and support a healthy Nevada.” This space’s capabilities include experienced staff with knowledge and skills in operationalizing FDA and non-FDA regulated clinical and translational research studies in a centralized 5,470-square foot research clinic housed in the Center for Molecular Medicine (CMM) at the University. This CRC space provides resources including: A centralized location next to the laboratory space that allows for strategic interdisciplinary collaboration between clinicians and basic scientists. Eleven private outpatient rooms for research clinic visits. Two blood draw stations. Physician consultation areas. Conference room for trial monitoring and consulting. Secure Investigational Product storage and preparation. Sample processing and storage, including countertop refrigerated centrifuges, 4°, -20° and -80° C refrigerators and freezers. Operations around clinical research are becoming more complex so growing clinical research in our community will require expertise and dedicated space where clinical research can be conducted in a learning environment first,” said Danielle Eaton, Director of Clinical Research with UNR Med and Renown Health. “This Clinical Research Center provides such space and experienced staff where these research studies can be successfully completed. The CRC provides a training environment for students, residents, faculty and clinical research professional work-force that will be needed to bring cutting edge diagnostics, therapeutics and preventatives to our community.” Meet the Team: Danielle Eaton, UNR Med Director of Clinical Research Kristen Gurnea, Renown Health Manager of Clinical Research Amber Emerson, UNR Med Project Manager Valerie Smith, UNR Med Center Administrative Manager Annie Beach-Hills, Gina Castro, Michelle Mejia and Amil Trujillo-King, UNR Med Study Coordinators Dr. John Westhoff, UNR Med Chair of Internal Medicine, Emergency Medicine physician Dr. Sean Kandel, UNR Med Associate Program Director for Resident Research, Associate Professor of Internal Medicine Dr. Amneet Rai, UNR Med Clinical research pharmacist Dr. Kellie Watkins, UNR Med Clinical Epidemiologist/Data Manager/Statistician As part of the affiliation between UNR Med and Renown Health, the Clinical Research Office is part of an integrated Office of Clinical Research, which allows both entities to collaborate on shared research program objectives. This effort allows colleagues to partner on clinical research, and to leverage bench-to-bedside research and delivery of leading-edge healthcare to northern Nevadans. About Renown Health Renown Health is the region’s largest, locally governed, not-for-profit integrated healthcare network serving Nevada, Lake Tahoe and northeast California. With a diverse workforce of more than 7,000 employees, Renown has fostered a longstanding culture of excellence, determination and innovation. The organization comprises a trauma center, two acute care hospitals, a children’s hospital, a rehabilitation hospital, a medical group and urgent care network, and the region’s largest, locally owned not-for-profit insurance company, Hometown Health. Renown is currently enrolling participants in the world’s largest community-based genetic population health study, the Healthy Nevada Project®. About UNR Med   The University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med), Nevada’s first public medical school, is a community-based, research-intensive medical school with a statewide vision for a healthy Nevada. Since 1969, UNR Med has trained more than 3,900 students, residents and fellows. UNR Med continues to improve the health and well-being of all Nevadans and their communities through excellence in student education, postgraduate training and clinical care, research with local, national and global impact and a culture of diversity and inclusion. For more information, visit med.unr.edu.

Read More About Newly Expanded Clinical Research Center at UNR Med Fosters Collaboration and Research with Renown Health

The University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med) and Renown Health are pleased to announce members of the first resident class of the new UNR Med Pediatric Residency Program. The four new Pediatric Residents will be working at Renown Children’s Hospital and in Renown outpatient pediatric clinics starting on July 1, 2023. The following four residents have matched.    Megan Dinges  Megan spent her childhood in Omaha, attending college at the University of Nebraska and medical school at the Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Iowa. Megan is a passionate patient advocate with clinical care experience as a Certified Nursing Assistant and ICU tech prior to medical school. She has been a leader amongst peers and volunteered in a homeless shelter working with children. Megan is a first-generation college graduate.  Jason Lundy, DO  Dr. Lundy was raised in California, attending UC Santa Barbara for undergraduate school, and completing graduate school at San Diego State University with a Chemistry degree. He completed his medical training at the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine and is currently doing a preliminary intern year in surgery in Cincinnati, Ohio. Jason realized that his true love is Pediatrics after having two small children of his own.  Krista Luntsford, DO  Dr. Luntsford graduated from the Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine with her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) in 2022 and is currently completing a transitional year in surgery in New Jersey. Notably, she was awarded the Gold Humanism Award, served in student government, and led the Pediatrics Club in medical school. Originally from Washington state, she is excited to return to the west coast. Erin Whepley  Erin grew up in Kansas, attended the University of Puget Sound for undergraduate school and will be graduating with her Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine this spring. Erin is resilient and inspiring and has always known that she wants to serve others through pediatrics.  These four newly trained physicians will be the inaugural members and first class of the new three-year Pediatrics Residency Program with the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) that announced last September. The residency will help shape future pediatric practices – and fill a state and nation-wide physician specialist shortage. Over a three-year period, four physicians will be selected each year for a total complement of twelve residents over a three-year period.  “This new residency is an opportunity to train the next generation of pediatricians who will want to continue providing care in northern Nevada,” said Kristina Deeter, M.D., MBA, FAAP, UNR Med Chair of Pediatrics and Physician-in-Chief at Renown Children’s Hospital. “Our community continues to grow. This new Pediatric residency-training program allows Nevada to have a supply of outstanding, compassionate physicians, now and into the future. With our exceptional team of existing pediatricians, pediatric specialists, medical teams and support staff, we are committed to providing a comprehensive and rewarding educational experience for our trainees.” “Creating a Pediatric Residency Program for our community has been a dream more than five years in the making,” says Dr. Deeter, “Formerly, UNR Med students interested in becoming pediatricians had to leave the state to complete their residency training elsewhere. This program creates a pipeline of much needed pediatricians for our state-especially under-served and rural areas – to serve vulnerable children and families of Nevada with high quality, affordable care.”  The vision to grow pediatric services into a full-fledged Children’s Hospital with a robust Department of Pediatrics as academic partner in Reno began in 2014. Today, 100,000 area children now have access to more than 60 pediatricians, including those specializing in adolescent medicine; anesthesia; cardiology; craniofacial surgery; dentistry; ear, nose and throat conditions; emergency medicine; endocrinology; gastroenterology;  general pediatrics; hospitalist medicine; intensive care; neonatology; neurology; oncology; ophthalmology;  orthopedics; psychiatry; psychology; pulmonology; surgery; urology and other subspecialties previously lacking in the community, as well as a pediatric emergency room, pediatric ICU and contemporary healthcare services at Renown Children’s Hospital. Prior to 2016, about 30% of all pediatric patients had to leave northern Nevada to receive the specialty care they needed. Now, Renown estimates that 97% of all pediatric patients and their families can receive both general and specialty pediatric care locally. The next nearest children’s hospital in the state is 7 hours or 438 miles away in Las Vegas. Paul Hauptman, MD, Dean of the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine, and Chief Academic Officer for Renown, explains, “Residencies are specialty training programs for doctors after they graduate from medical school. Before becoming licensed physicians, medical school graduates train for three or more years learning from more experienced ‘attending’ physicians.”  He adds, “Our new pediatric residency program is a tremendous step forward for the UNR Med and Renown Health affiliation- and for our entire community. It advances a mutual commitment to recruit and retain skilled and compassionate physicians and health care professionals, improves access to health care, and invests in clinical research that improves the health of this generation and the next. Within the UNR Med-Renown affiliation, we created an integrated Graduate Medical Education Consortium Council (GME-CC) to provide strategic oversight and growth of residency programs within the affiliation. In this agreement, UNR Med is the sponsoring institution for accreditation and Renown Health (and the VA) is the clinical training partner. This is a great addition to our existing residencies at UNR Med, which include family medicine, internal medicine, psychiatry and behavioral sciences, and provides our students with a great training opportunity in pediatrics.” Nevada’s shortage; ranks 45th for physicians and 47th in the U.S. for pediatricians.  Nevada faces a severe physician workforce shortage, ranking 45th in the nation for active physicians per 100,000 people. The physician workforce shortage is especially critical for pediatricians, with Nevada ranking 47th in the country with fewer than 10 pediatricians for every 100,000 people. The northern Nevada community is growing rapidly and Washoe County faces additional pediatrician shortages as local physicians approach retirement.  “It truly is a dream come true. Dr. Deeter and I are indebted to the comprehensive team that has built the structure, recruited faculty to support the training program and successfully recruited a Program Director, Dr. Caroline Barangan, and Associate Program Director, Dr. Shilpi Garg, a 2012 UNR Med alumna (’12), and Pediatric Residency Coordinator, Jorge Pulido-Rubio. Their hard work and time spent has ensured a successful match.” says Lawrence Duncan, M.S., VP and Administrator for Renown Women & Children’s Hospital.  “Residency programs in pediatrics recruit and train students completing medical school and seeking residency training to become a pediatrician,” says Caroline Barangan, MD, Pediatric Residency Program Director, Renown Health and UNR Med. “Workforce research consistently shows that students who complete a residency tend to stay and practice in the communities where they completed their residency training program. For those who complete medical school and residency in the same place, over 75% stay to practice in that community.” “This new community-based program will provide residents with a strong foundation in primary care pediatrics as well as broad, in-depth exposure to all pediatric subspecialties. This will create graduates equally well prepared for careers in general pediatric practice, service to the state’s rural and underserved communities or in academics," adds David Carlson, MD, UNR Med Associate Dean, Graduate Medical Education; Designated Institutional Officer. “Through the program, pediatric residents will spend their 36-month residency focused on children’s care and complete a primary care-focused clinical training program with rotations that allow them to learn while caring for children in both inpatient and outpatient settings with supervising pediatricians and pediatric specialists at Renown Children’s Hospital.”  “The Pediatrics Residency Program is a wonderful opportunity to continue a tradition of academic excellence alongside Renown Health’s record of clinical excellence,” said Brian Sandoval, President, University of Nevada, Reno. “This is one more way our affiliation, signed in 2021 to establish the first fully integrated health system in Nevada, is helping to expand clinical training and clinical research programs as well as improve access to clinical care for all Nevadans.”  “We are proud to partner with UNR Med to bring this new residency program to our community,” says Brian Erling, MD, MBA, Chief Executive Officer, Renown Health, “Attracting and retaining talent is a key component of our drive for excellence and our mutual goal of improving the health of our community. We are fortunate to have the strong infrastructure necessary to create this program and a team of highly-skilled physicians who can train the next generation of pediatricians.”  For the 2023 residency application cycle, UNR Medicine participated in the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) and encourages applicants to visit the UNR Med GME website for more information.  About the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine The University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med), Nevada’s first public medical school, is a community-based, research-intensive medical school with a statewide vision for a healthy Nevada. Since 1969, UNR Med has trained more than 3,900 students, residents and fellows. UNR Med continues to improve the health and well-being of all Nevadans and their communities through excellence in student education, postgraduate training and clinical care, research with local, national and global impact and a culture of diversity and inclusion. For more information, visit med.unr.edu. About Renown Health Renown Health is Nevada’s largest, locally governed, not-for-profit integrated healthcare network serving Nevada, Lake Tahoe and northeast California. With a diverse workforce of more than 7,200 employees, Renown has fostered a longstanding culture of excellence, determination and innovation. The organization comprises a trauma center, two acute care hospitals, a children’s hospital, a rehabilitation hospital, a medical group and urgent care network, and the locally owned not-for-profit insurance company, Hometown Health. Renown is currently hiring exceptional members to join our team. For more information, visit renown.org.

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