University of Nevada Reno School of Medicine

About UNR Medical School:

The University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine is an accredited branch of the University of Nevada, Reno, which awards an MD degree. The medical college was established as the very first medical college in the state of Nevada on March 25, 1969. The School of Medicine graduates more than 1,500 MD’s per year. The pre-clinical center is based in Reno; however, it is possible to spend the third and fourth years of MD degree in affiliated hospitals and clinics throughout Nevada. Students can also receive degrees in MD-MPH, MD-MBA, or MD – Ph.D. at Nevada School of Medicine.

Reno School of Medicine is a community based medical college that aims to develop its students to be able to provide primary care physicians for rural Nevada. It is one of the nation’s best public research universities, that has always encouraged students to commit themselves to fruitful researches. They want to share with you their enthusiasm, commitment to excellence, and a sense of adventure to influence you and your work every day.

According to a 2018 study released by the U.S., UNR Med ranks No. 7 as the most affordable medical school for in-state students in the USA.

UNR Medical School Vision, mission, and values:

Vision

A Healthy Nevada

Mission

Improving the health and well-being of all Nevadans and their communities through excellence in:

• Student education and postgraduate training that produces global leaders in medicine;
• Clinical care, safety, and innovation;
• Research with local, national and global impact;
• An institutional culture of diversity and inclusion.

Core Values

• People are their strength
• The university innovate and improve
• The university serves with integrity
• The university succeed with trust and respect

Diversity Statement

The University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine recognizes that diversity promotes excellence in education, research, and health care. The school is an inclusive and engaged community and recognizes the added value that students, faculty, and staff from different backgrounds bring to the educational experience. They strive to develop culturally competent graduates to care for the residents of Nevada and the nation.

UNR Medical School FrenoLocation and AffIliated institutes:

The Reno School of medicine is located at 1664 N. Virginia Street, Reno, NV 89557.

However, as mentioned earlier in the final two years of the MD degree students can study from any of the affiliated hospitals and clinics. The list of affiliated institutions is given below.

• Banner Churchill Community Hospital (Fallon)
• Battle Mountain General Hospital (Battle Mountain)
• Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center (Carson City)
• Carson Valley Medical Center (Gardnerville)
• Desert View Hospital (Pahrump)
• Golden Valley Medical Center (Winnemucca)
• Humboldt General Hospital (Winnemucca)
• Incline Village Community Hospital (Incline Village)
• Mount Grant General Hospital (Hawthorne)
• Northeastern Nevada Regional Hospital (Elko)
• Northern Nevada Medical Center (Sparks)
• Pershing General Hospital (Lovelock)
• Renown Regional Medical Center (Reno)
• Renown South Meadows Medical Center (Reno)
• Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center (Reno)
• South Lyon Medical Center (Yerington)
• VA Sierra Nevada Health (Reno)
• William Bee Ririe Critical Access Hospital (Ely)

UNR Medical School Courses Offered:

Undergraduate:

For undergraduates, Reno School of Medicine provides a four years MD program. The first two years of the curriculum provides the basic medical training. The curriculum starts in the classrooms and laboratories and then expands well beyond the university to clinical environments. Students are provided with early clinical coaching to understand patient interviewing abilities, doctor-patient communication skills, and medical examination and prognosis.

In the third-year students start to attain knowledge of a vast number of fields starting with ambulatory and inpatient medical education during clerkships in Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, Neurology, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, OB/GYN and Surgery.

The fourth-year is reserved for electives and also includes a lot of rural-based training experiences where doctors are introduced to working in small communities with limited resources and many social and geographical challenges.

The School of Medicine further offers a chance to get added distinction to students via voluntary Scholarly Concentrations and dual degree programs (M.D./Ph.D., M.D./MPH, M.D./MBA).

Postgraduate:

The University of Nevada offers the following residencies and fellowships:

Residencies

 Family Medicines

• Three years
• Accreditation: ACGME

Internal Medicine

• Three years
• Accreditation: ACGME

Psychiatry

• Four years
• Accreditation: ACGME

Fellowships

Sports Medicine

• Department: Family Medicine
• Duration:1 year
• Accreditation: ACGME

Geriatric Medicine

• Department: Internal Medicine       
• Duration: 1 year
• Accreditation: ACGME

Hospice and Palliative Medicine

• Department: Internal Medicine       
• Duration: 1 year
• Accreditation: ACGME

Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

• Department: Psychiatry
• Duration: 2 years
• Accreditation: ACGME

Physician Assistant Studies

Reno School of Medicine at the University of Nevada provides a high-quality educational environment with an outstanding staff which will improve the potential for career opportunities for graduates upon certification. Because most PA learners would get substantial hours of health care training before admittance and are not expected to accomplish a residency, the graduate students are ready to go to work right after giving the Physician Assistant National Certification Examination (PANCE).

Speech Pathology and Audiology

The curriculum sets out the academic and clinical criteria needed for the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC). The Master’s degree (M.S.) in speech-language pathology program at the University of Nevada, Reno is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation of Audiology and Language Pathology (CAA).

UNR Medical School Eligibility Criteria:

For a candidate to qualify for application of admission following selection criteria are used:

MD Program:

A passion for medicine

• A mature understanding of the role, challenges, and ethical responsibilities of a physician.
• Examples that demonstrate your commitment to serving and caring for others with compassion and cultural sensitivity.
• Examples of activities that illustrate how you have nurtured and prioritized your passion for medicine through purposeful exposure to health care.
• Examples of paid and/or volunteer clinical experiences that include direct patient contact and care.
• Familiarity with current affairs in healthcare and medicine.
• An awareness and acceptance of the personal and financial investment required to become a physician.
• A wellness mindset concerning one’s own physical and mental health.

A commitment to medical Excellence

• Self-motivation and accountability for one’s own learning.
• A commitment to continuous improvement, including the demonstrated ability to solicit and accept feedback.
• Grades and test scores indicative of an excellent foundational understanding of molecular and macro systems including biomolecules, molecules, cells, and organs and of the psychological, socio-cultural, and biological factors that influence health.
• Examples of engagement in courses, scholarly projects, or research that demonstrate the application of knowledge, critical thinking skills, and quantitative reasoning.
• A commitment to life-long learning.

Professional readiness for medical school

The applicant must show the following qualities to be a part of their personality

• Integrity,
• Ethical and moral judgment,
• Reliability and responsibility,
• Dependability and timely responses to requests,
• Mature self-awareness of strengths, weaknesses, and biases,
• Excellent team building and collaboration skills,
• The ability to communicate (listen, speak and write) effectively and respectfully, to maintain confidentiality, and to appropriately deliver and accept feedback.

Personal values that align with THE core values

The mission of UNR Med for a Safe Nevada is embodied by the power of their citizens. They appreciate potential students who seem to be innovative problem solvers, that display willingness and dedication to improvement, who might contribute meaningfully to a culture that is considerate, diverse, vibrant, and socially involved, and those who display empathy, concern and cultural awareness towards others.

UNR Medical School Application requirements

To get admission in UNR all students must meet the following requirements

• Achieve a minimum of 90-course credits previous to enrollment at an accredited US post-secondary institution.
• Earn six (6) credits inside three years of the application year in upper-division science courses. Such courses may not be taken online and this condition is not for the following courses: special topics, research, advanced mentored research, survey courses, or dissection team.
• Clearly show written and verbal qualifications in the English language and meet all criteria for English composition at your level.
• Students applying must also meet the pre-requite course/credit requirements mentioned below
• Biology: 15 credits including 2 credits Biology lab and 6 credits of upper-division
• Chemistry: 8 credits, including a minimum of 2 credits of lab
• Organic Chemistry: 8 credits, including a minimum of 2 credits of lab
• Physics: 8 credits, including a minimum of 2 credits of the lab.
• Biochemistry: 3 credits
• General or Abnormal Psychology: 3 credits
• Furthermore, these instructions need to be met regarding the pre-requisites
• All credit requirements listed shall be in semester hours.
• All classes used to satisfy preconditions must have a letter grade of “C-” or above.
• Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) credits accepted by their undergraduate institution and mentioned on a formal undergraduate transcript could be used to meet the requirements of the lower division, with the exception of laboratories.
• Preconditional courses can be taken at any approved college or university, including community or junior colleges, in the lower division (100-200 level).

Graduate programme

Domestic students

• Bachelor’s degree or recognized equivalent from a regionally accredited institution
• Minimum undergraduate grade point average (on a 4.0 scale):
• 75 for a master’s degree
• 0 for a doctoral degree
• Online application
• Official transcripts from every institution attended for a complete history of your education
• Official GRE or GMAT test scores from an exam taken within the past 5 years (exam requirement and recommended scores are determined by individual programs)
• Resume or curriculum vitae
• Statement of purpose
• Three letters of recommendation

International students

• Bachelor’s degree or recognized equivalent from an accredited institution.
• Eligibility for admission with a 3-year bachelor’s degree is determined on a case by case basis.
• Minimum undergraduate grade point average (on a 4.0 scale):
• 75 for a master’s degree
• 0 for a doctoral degree
• Online application.
• Official transcripts (statement of marks) from every institution attended for a complete history of your education.
• Official GRE or GMAT test scores from an exam taken within the past 5 years.
• Official TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English exam scores if your educational history is from a non-English speaking country.

Minimum score requirements.

• TOEFL: 550 (paper) or 79 (internet)
• IELTS: 6.5 (academic version)
• Duolingo: 105
• Your resume or curriculum vitae.
• Statement of purpose.
• Three letters of recommendation.

Tuition Fees:

1.   INSTATE RESIDENTS

In-State Residents	Year 1	Year 2	Year 3	Year 3
Tuition	$29,386	$29,386	$29,386	$29,386
Total Enrollment costs	$35,048	$35,014	$34,560	$35,022
Total Loving Costs	$25,572	$27,140	$29,970	$29,912
Total	$61,070	$62,604	$64,980	$65,384

 

2.   outofstate residents

Out-of-State Residents	Year 1	Year 2	Year 3	Year 3
Tuition	$57,704	$57,704	$57,704	$57,704
Total Enrollment Costs	$63,366	$63,332	$62,878	$63,340
Total Living Costs	$25,572	$27,140	$29,970	$29,912
Total	$89,388	$90,922	$93,298	$93,702

Required Documents:

Apart from the admission requirements, there are some documents that need to be submitted to fulfill your applications, they are:

• Official transcripts
• Standardized test scores
• Immunization records

Important dates:

Application deadlines

UNR Medical School RESEARCH CENTERS AND FACILITIES:

IDeA Research Center

In January 2019, the IDeA Research Administration office was formed to utilize the expert knowledge of IDeA Research Administration as well as provide special assistance to UNR Med’s Institutional Development Awards (IDeA). IDeA grants are special program grants with the aim of expanding the infrastructure for biomedical research and NIH funding in states that are traditionally underfunded by NIH.

The Office of IDeA Research Administration provides support for:

• Fiscal Administration
• Tracking and Evaluation
• NIH Policies and Regulations
• Budget Development
• Annual NIH Reporting
• Issuance of ERA Commons ID’s

International Undergraduate Student Research Program

The ambition for this Research project is based upon several years of successful experience in putting undergraduates in research labs at the School of Medicine from various universities. The School of Medicine’s research encompasses a broad variety of science disciplines which include: Physiology & Cell Biology, Pharmacology, Microbiology, Biochemistry, and Pathology. A research lab, an advisor, and usually a project that includes the scientific interests of the allocated research lab will be given to students who accept a place in the Research Program.

Students are supposed to make a contribution to the allocated research group’s scientific advances and to facilitate in the prep work of scientific documents for publication in relevant journals. The School of Medicine ranks as one of the highest colleges in extramural research funding at the UNR Medical School, as well as in the number of scientific articles published.

Clinical Research Center (CRC)

The Clinical Research Center (CRC) is providing knowledge and support to biomedical researchers in medical science. The CRC is a centrally controlled research platform of 1500 -square foot situated at Center for Molecular Medicine, CMM220. The CRC includes two private outpatient rooms for research clinic visits, three blood draw stations, and a physician consultation area.

They are actively working with scientists and clinical trainees to find appropriate matches that synergize research goals and introduce people to unique and broad possibilities for research. A lively, multicultural and productive Community Faculty group and connections with all the hospitals in Reno guarantee that clinical researchers continue to thrive and develop their commitment to quality care

Nevada State Public Health Laboratory

The Nevada State Public Health Laboratory (NSPHL) exists to serve as a first line of defense toward public health emergencies in Nevada. The aggressive stance taken by the research lab to build and authorize testing capability has helped make Nevada a leader in coronavirus experimentation at a higher per capita rate than many of the other states.

The NSPHL furthermore provides a broad array of diagnostic and analytical facilities to monitor and evaluate contagious/viral infections, to analyze foodborne epidemics, to analyze chemical and biological terror attacks, and to analyze animal products and water to assess of consumption.

Savitt Medical Library

The Savitt Medical Library is the University of Nevada’s academic medical library, UNR Medical School. The library was established in July 1978, once the college was changed to a four-year degree program institute. It was named after Sol and Ella Savitt because funding for the library and its holdings were largely facilitated by their donation.

After Getting Admitted:

Getting into a medical college will be one of the hardest things you will do in your life. And on top of that attempting to get into tough institutes like the university of Nevada school of medicine might be even harder. UNR is one of the best institutes in Nevada for medical education, hence, it will take its toll on you if you want to secure a place here. And after admission, you will face immense competition because there will be many intelligent and smart people putting in all their hard work into the degree. Which is why you cannot stop putting in your effort after admission into UNR. Well done for all your hard work so far! But this is not the end of the line. You will face numerous challenges in med school. To prepare you for some of them a few tips are given below.

1.   Managing your Time:

Even if you throw yourself into hard work and start making every effort to maintain your studies at the best possible level, the pressure of trying to wrangle multiple tasks and schedules can affect your overall health. The ability to manage your time effectively will help you to achieve excellent academic performance and also many extracurricular activities.

Build a schedule for all your tasks and use an organized planner and that follow that. In medical school, time is your biggest asset. Students can carve out time for educational activities like lessons and assessments, on-campus activities, or special interest clubs as well as subjective goals and aspirations by preparing daily / monthly schedules. University life is generally very cramped when considering mentally, you have to multitask all the time, but make sure you remain consistent with your work. It becomes easier if you train yourself to follow a certain routine consistently.

Apart from all this, stay away from any distractions, prioritize your tasks, take all your lectures attentively and do not zone out in between, and put some effort into constructing a pre-exam strategy for yourself so that you do not take on too much stress in exam weeks.

2.   take time off:

It is impossible to immerse yourself in studies day and night, so take breaks to keep both your mind and your body fresh. It will help you steer away from experiencing sheer exhaustion that many med school students face. To cope with the relentless strain, take some time to go out for a walk, watch your favorite seasons, or grab some delicious lunch outside. Meet with friends and have a good chat with them to break the monotony every now and then. Having someone to talk to helps with the stress too.

3.   Find Useful Resources

Whether you’re learning a new concept from a workbook or struggling to deal with a subject using external resources will be of great help. Like watching YouTube videos, that can help you understand med school topics instantly and reduce your workload head-on. You can understand anything that you find hard or that you don’t already know. If you find studying anatomy daunting, for example, you will find various coloring books and flashcards or many of the 3D models that are available online. One such resource is mentioned below.

4.   Dr. Najeeb Lectures:

Dr. Najeeb’s Lectures are an excellent resource for anyone who wants extra help to cover the difficult subjects of med school. There are many videos that help medical students’ self-study with great efficiency leading to excellent results. The lectures are well known and popular amongst medical students. You can find an array of topics being covered in these lectures which include Gross Anatomy, Neuro-anatomy, Embryology, Histology, Physiology, Biochemistry, Genetics, Pharmacology, Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology. All these lectures are up-to-date as per the modern curriculums of medical institutions. Furthermore, students can also use the hand-drawn illustrations and 3-D models available on this website to facilitate quick learning of difficult concepts. Students can get lifetime access to these lectures and can also download Dr. Najeeb’s Lectures app to have all information on their fingertips, a tap away.

For more information you can visit the university’s official website.