Sunday, March 1, 2015 | 2 a.m.

UNLV is asking the Legislature for $27 million over the next two years to launch a medical school in Southern Nevada, and although supportive, lawmakers implied it is Gov. Brian Sandovals decision. Why? Because Sandovals proposed budget for the medical school calls for only $8.3 million.

The governor should support the request for the multitude of ways the medical school will improve our health care and stimulate the regions economy.

The problem

Las Vegas is the largest metropolitan area in the country without an M.D.-granting, allopathic medical school. Getting the $27 million over two years instead of three would allow the school to shoot for a 2017 opening.

If the governor doesnt sign off on the additional funding, the schools opening would be delayed by a year or more. Thats because if the agency that would accredit our medical school sees Nevada wavering in its support, the agency may lose confidence in our efforts and not want to revisit us for years.

What a delay would mean to health care

Nevada ranks 46th in the nation for number of doctors per capita. We feel that pinch every time we try to make an appointment to see a doctor. Sometimes, we have to leave Las Vegas altogether for specialists who are hard to find.

The UNLV medical school will develop young doctors more prone to complete residencies in Southern Nevada and, in turn, stay here where three-quarters of Nevadans live once they are fully minted. We will grow physician ranks from within.

But more than that, it would lift all areas of heath services, from federal grant money to diagnostics to biomes research and development. A state-led, publicly supported medical school lifts the entire health sector.

Read more from the original source:

Sandoval has a chance to make a major investment