EDINBURG University of Texas System Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa today is expected to announce plans to expand medical education as a path to establishing a free-standing medical school in the Rio Grande Valley, a press release said.

The announcement is expected to affect all Regional Academic Health Centers in the Valley, which includes Harlingen, said Louie Sanchez, a spokesman for state Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr., D-Brownsville.

Officials on Thursday declined to disclose details of plans set to be announced at 10:30 a.m. at the Regional Academic Health Centers Medical Research Division in Edinburg.

However, Randy Whittington, a former Harlingen mayor who serves as president of the South Texas Medical Foundation, said the announcement will include plans to turn the RAHC which includes branches in Harlingen, Edinburg and Brownsville into a four-year medical school.

Hes going to announce plans to convert the RAHC into a four-year medical school in the Valley, Whittington said. Hes going to lay out steps to get there and a timetable. I think everybody will be surprised about how quick it can be done.

The plans will impact the entire RAHC system, which includes the Harlingen branch, the Edinburg research division and a public health school in Brownsville, Sanchez said. Its about the entire program, Lucio said.

Officials continue to work to develop a four-year medical school in Harlingen, Lucio said. The goal we have always had is to go from a two-year operation to a four-year institution, Lucio said.

About 1,000 third- and fourth-year medical students have trained at the RAHC since it opened in 2002, said Harlingen Mayor Chris Boswell, who has called the RAHC one of the citys hallmarks.

It has built up, Boswell said. A huge investment has been made.

The Regional Academic Health Center lays the foundation to a proposed South Texas health science center, Sanchez said.

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