Healthcare Industry Focus: UNR classes advancing medical opportunities in region

The formation of the Department of Emergency Medicine at University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine creates additional opportunities for students who want to pursue careers in emergency medicine, and strengthens ties across multiple organizations.

David Howard, associate dean of curricular affairs with UNR Med, told NNBW the partnership with Renown Health and Western Emergency Physicians also will help spur medical research opportunities. Medical students begin taking clerkships in their third year of study, Howard said. In their fourth and final year, they can begin their emergency medical rotations. These are mostly completed out-of-state in areas where students may be interested in completing their medical residency requirements, Howard said.

“The partnership between UNR, Renown and Western Emergency Physicians is an effort to continually make progress across all our departments,” Howard said. “About 13 percent of our students go on to match in emergency medicine and pursue that career path, so it made a lot of sense for us to provide additional opportunities for our students to rotate through emergency medicine in a more robust environment, as well as provide additional opportunities for research that will benefit the community, the state of Nevada and its emergency-room patients.”

Although UNR medical students don’t have residency opportunities in emergency medicine in Northern Nevada, students interested in that career path will benefit from an increase in available fourth-year electives. Many eventually return to Northern Nevada to practice once they’ve completed their residencies in other states, Howard noted.

“About one-third of practitioners in Reno graduated from UNR Med,” he said. “Ideally, as we train students more robustly and improve their ability to match in residencies in emergency medicine, we enhance the ability of those students to come back here and practice.”

David Howard, associate dean of curricular affairs for UNR Med.

Emergency medicine rotations are highly desired by medical students across the U.S. According to the National Resident Matching Program, the 3,026 emergency medicine residency programs available in 2024 had a 95.5 percent fill rate.

Timothy Baker, vice dean at UNR Med, said in a statement that the partnership supports and advances UNR Med’s strategic objectives of creating the state’s first integrated academic health system.

“The establishment of a new emergency medicine department at UNR Med not only expands educational opportunities for our students, but also lays a strong foundation for advancing medical research and improving patient care for the Northern Nevada community,” Baker said.

Bret Frey, president of Western Emergency Physicians and UNR Med graduate (2000) will lead the new department of emergency medicine at UNR. Frey completed his medical residency at University of Connecticut Health Center before returning to his roots in Northern Nevada. In addition to leading Western Emergency Physicians, Frey has served as vice president of the Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners and was chief of staff at Renown South Meadows.

“Western Emergency Physicians is excited to be in partnership with UNR Med on critical education and research priorities,” Frey said. “This strategic alliance will benefit the regional community for decades to come, providing patients with access to high-quality emergency care in both rural and urban settings, enhancing the resilience of emergency care through clinical care, research, and workforce development.”

Medical resident Alan Lang (front) receives instruction from Thea Berning in the emergency room.

David Benaron will serve as the department’s vice chair. Benaron previously was educational liaison for Western Emergency Physicians. The department of emergency medicine consists of more than 60 board-certified emergency medicine physicians from Western Emergency Physicians, including five pediatric emergency medicine specialists.

Paul J. Hauptman, dean of UNR Med, said the partnership exemplifies the university’s commitment to the four pillars of its 2024-29 strategic plan.

“The Department of Emergency Medicine not only strengthens our dedication to fostering a connected community but also promotes educational excellence and offers opportunities for advancing research and health care innovation while building an integrated academic health system with Renown,” Hauptman said.