On a million-dollar mission

After having its funding reduced in the last legislative biennium, UTRGV School of Medicine officials say they are looking at better ways to allocate their budget.

“The way we’re trying to mitigate against some of those reductions is really being smarter about where we, from a medical school, are investing our limited resources,” said Michael Patriarca, executive vice dean for the School of Medicine. “We are operating across all of the missions of a medical school.”

On Feb. 12, the McAllen City Commission approved the contribution of $1 million to the UTRGV School of Medicine to fund research on cervical cancer.

“I think it’s important that we recognize the timing of getting this program up and running, so that when the new research center gets started, that they have an actual research project to put in it,” McAllen Mayor Jim Darling said.

Sofia Hernandez, the chief of staff of the School of Medicine, said UTRGV is focused on training the next generation of physicians to provide high-quality care in the community.

“Another core mission is advancing research, especially looking at diseases that impact the Rio Grande Valley community,” Hernandez said.

The funding will give students the opportunity to participate in the research process, as well as help the community of the Valley.

“We know that cervical cancer is one of those [diseases] where women in the Valley are three times more likely to die from cervical cancer, so we thought this was something that would be really helpful in looking at potential treatments and other ways to combat the disease,” Hernandez said.

She said she believes the research will be great for women as it will help improve access to treatment and even potentially attract jobs to the community.

“As we look at new treatments, then you’re talking about attracting pharmaceutical companies and other industries to the community as well,” Hernandez said.

This is not the first time the City of McAllen gives $1 million to the medical school.

As previously reported by The Rider, the McAllen City Commission voted 3-2 on Sept. 25 to allocate $1 million for the School of Medicine.

However, the school may increase its budget once more.

On Feb. 9, the School of Medicine presented a request of $77,993.76 before the Student Fee Advisory Committee to help medical students conduct research in a field of their choice.

The university estimates it will collect about $13 million in student services fees, but the total funding requests add up to about $15 million, according to Nick Weimer, the assistant vice president for Student Success and Student Fee Advisory Committee chair.

 “The committee had asked for presentations from everybody who had submitted budget requests from those they wanted to learn more about what they were requesting, the purpose of it, how it benefits,” Weimer said. “I feel the meeting went pretty well. All of the presentations were really great from everybody in the meeting.”

Funding distribution recommendations will be made by the Student Fee Advisory Committee. The committee will present its recommendations to UTRGV President Guy Bailey, who will make the final decision. The funding requests will be approved or denied by April 1, Weimer said.

The School of Medicine requested funding to help 30 to 35 of its medical students who want to conduct research, which involves community outreach and global medicine or global outreach, according to Patriarca.

Its budget request was led by Dr. Beatriz Tapia, assistant dean for faculty development; Beine Herrera, the School of Medicine Student Government Association president; and Patriarca.

“We specifically talked about a process for evaluation of these proposals,” Patriarca said last Wednesday. “That was part of the presentation as well, what that vetting process will be, and how we’ll look at those proposals. Priority will be given to proposals that essentially bring third-party funding to the table and those that are local in nature … and/or making use of current research programs.”

He said the program would help keep medical students working on projects that are Valley or community-outreach focused. The program would also allow others to see the research UTRGV students are conducting.