New medical school opens opportunities for East Texans

Brigham C. Willis, MD, founding dean of the Tyler Medical School at the University of Texas at Tyler

Palestineherald.com 
by BY LISA TANG Palestine Herald-Press
October 08, 2022 at 04:18AM

The University of Texas at Tyler’s new medical school is offering free tuition to its first two classes of students in 2023 and 2024. A recent gift of $5 million from a generous donor guarantees free tuition for the second class of students, promising more educational opportunities for students in East Texas at the new Tyler School of Medicine.

The first gift of $4 million by the R.W. Fair Foundation in 2021 ensured free tuition for the first class. 

Applications for the first class of roughly 40 students are open through Nov. 1, and classes are set to begin in the summer of 2023 before facilities are completed. 

In August the University of Texas board of regents allocated $100 million to UT Tyler for the new medical school.

Founding Dean Brigham C. Willis, MD, said the new medical school will improve the quality of healthcare for East Texans by correcting the shortage of physicians.

“We are committed to improving the quality of life in our region by training our students to become community-engaged, preventive healthcare advocates,” Willis said. “Our community-focused, values-centered medical school will equip us to address the growing healthcare disparities in East Texas and care for our underserved communities.”

Sarah Buchanan, Manager of Marketing and Communications for the School of Medicine, said regional donors have provided generous support for the incoming students. 

“The outpour of community support philanthropically has been monumental,” Buchanan said. “Our most recent announcement was from a generous donor who gifted $5 million, which will go to our second class receiving their education tuition-free.”

Preference will be given to applicants from dozens of counties in the East Texas region. 

Local leaders recognize that the new medical school will significantly boost opportunities for healthcare education and economic growth in the region. 

Ben Campbell, president of the Palestine Economic Development Center’s board of trustees said local students, families and business owners will benefit from the ties already established with UT Tyler’s satellite nursing school, which has an enrollment of more than 100 nursing students. 

“Our connection to UT Tyler is very strong,” Campbell said. “The economic opportunities for our community here are really unlimited.”

Campbell said students with equal abilities who come from a 50-county area in East Texas will receive “preferential treatment” among other applicants because the university wants to train physicians who will remain to practice in East Texas.

“They want East Texas students to go to med school and stay in East Texas to practice medicine,” Campbell said. “I’m just trying to get the word out to parents with kids who are thinking about going to med school.”

Campbell estimates the cost of four years of medical school at roughly $400,000 to $500,000. 

“The first two classes of this medical school are going to get a free ride and all tuition and everything paid,” Campbell said. “It’s an incredible opportunity for everybody. This is one of the most fantastic opportunities I’ve ever heard of.”

For information about UT Tyler’s new medical school visit medicine.uttyler.edu.