Steve Marcus

Former U. S. Congresswoman Shelley Berkley (D-NV) speaks about the need for Nevada residency programs during an editorial board meeting at the Las Vegas Sun offices Thursday, Feb. 20, 2014. Berkley is the new CEO and senior provost of the Touro College and University system in Nevada andCalifornia.

By Paul Takahashi (contact)

Friday, Feb. 21, 2014 | midnight

Six weeks after taking the helm of Touro University Nevada, Shelley Berkley said her private medical school is willing to partner with UNLV in its quest to create the first public medical school in Southern Nevada.

The former Democratic congresswoman said Thursday she plans to have a conversation with UNLV acting President Don Snyder about a potential partnership between the two universities in due time. Berkley recently became the CEO and senior provost of New York-based Touro Universitys Western Division, which includes its osteopathic medical school in Henderson.

The idea came to Berkley when Touro University President and CEO Alan Kadish visited her campus earlier this week, she said. Upon hearing that UNLV was planning to create its own medical school, Kadish suggested that Touro could partner with UNLV to help solve Nevadas physician shortage.

Berkley, a former Nevada regent for eight years, said she doesnt know what a potential partnership between the two schools could look like. However, she was encouraged by Kadishs interest, she said.

I didnt realize we could be that creative, Berkley said of Kadishs proposal. Touro could provide just about any program that this state needs. We should be discussing in this state anything that could increase the number of physicians and health care providers.

This news comes as UNLV is working with the University of Nevada School of Medicine to kickstart an allopathic medical school in Las Vegas. Nevadas higher education leaders have approved an agreement that would allow UNLV to create its own medical school using the UNR medical schools accreditation, and eventually becoming an independently accredited institution.

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Touro University eager to partner with UNLV on a medical school