EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) announces partnership with The Paso del Norte Health Foundation for a new initiative.
The Paso del Norte (PdN) Health Foundation gifted UTEP a $4.5 million grant to establish UTEP Health, a new focus on health in El Paso by educating more healthcare workers, according to a news release by UTEP.
UTEP and PdN presenting UTEP Health. Photos by Anthony Pina/KTSM
UTEP unites the efforts in their College of Health Sciences, College of Nursing and School of Pharmacy and all other colleges that focus on health-related research and education, according to UTEP.
With support from PdN, UTEP Health plans to do the following initiatives:
Establish a Rehabilitation Science Interprofessional Teaching Clinic to educate students while providing rehabilitation services to underserved people in the community.
Renovate the Rehabilitation Sciences Complex to include improvements in five lab classrooms where students can take classes and practice clinical skills. Located at 3333 North Mesa.
Increase the size of the occupational therapy doctoral program.
Recruit additional faculty to the College of Nursing and grow the Bachelor of Science Nursing Program to over 400 graduates a year.
Upgrade the simulation labs that replicate hospital, clinical and retail environments to better educate and train UTEP Health students.
Expand research into Hispanic health disparities to help the Hispanic population live longer, healthier lives
Dr. Heather Wilson, President of The University of Texas at El Paso, speaks at an event at the UTEP Fox Fine Arts Recital Hall on May 15, 2024. The University announced the establishment of UTEP Health, a renewed focus on meeting the health needs of the Paso del Norte region by educating more healthcare workers to a high standard. The effort is backed by a $4.5 million matching grant from the foundation. Credit: The University of Texas at El Paso.Tracy J. Yellen, CEO of the Paso del Norte Health Foundation, speaks at an event at the UTEP Fox Fine Arts Recital Hall on May 15, 2024. The University announced the establishment of UTEP Health, a renewed focus on meeting the health needs of the Paso del Norte region by educating more healthcare workers to a high standard. The effort is backed by a $4.5 million matching grant from the foundation. Credit: The University of Texas at El Paso.UTEP leaders were joined by officials and board members of the Paso del Norte Health Foundation at an event in the UTEP Fox Fine Arts Recital Hall on May 15, 2024. The University announced the establishment of UTEP Health, a renewed focus on meeting the health needs of the Paso del Norte region by educating more healthcare workers to a high standard. The effort is backed by a $4.5 million matching grant from the foundation. Pictured (back row, left to right): John Wiebe, Ph.D., UTEP provost and VP of Academic Affairs; Joseph Bocanegra, PdNHF board member; Carlos Fernandez, PdNHF board vice chair; Dr. Michael Kelly, PdNHF VP of Programs staff); and John L. Hummer, MHA, president of Burrell College. Front row (left to right): José O. Rivera, PharmD, dean of the UTEP School of Pharmacy; William Robertson, Ph.D., dean of the UTEP College of Health Sciences; Leslie Robbins, Ph.D., dean of the UTEP College of Nursing, Heather Wilson, UTEP President; Tracy J. Yellen, CEO of the Paso del Norte Health Foundation; Dr. Annette Cordova-Hoy, PdNHF board chair; Amy Marcus, PdNHF board member; Linda Lawson, PdNHF board member; and Susan Melendez; PdNHF board member. Credit: The University of Texas at El Paso.Dr. Heather Wilson, President of The University of Texas at El Paso, speaks at an event at the UTEP Fox Fine Arts Recital Hall on May 15, 2024. The University announced the establishment of UTEP Health, a renewed focus on meeting the health needs of the Paso del Norte region by educating
more healthcare workers to a high standard. The effort is backed by a $4.5 million matching grant from the foundation. Credit: The University of Texas at El Paso.John Wiebe, Ph.D., provost and VP of Academic Affairs at The University of Texas at El Paso, speaks at an event in the UTEP Fox Fine Arts Recital Hall on May 15, 2024. The University announced the establishment of UTEP Health, a renewed focus on meeting the health needs of the Paso del Norte region by educating more healthcare workers to a high standard. The effort is backed by a $4.5 million matching grant from the foundation. Credit: The University of Texas at El Paso.José O. Rivera, PharmD, dean of the School of Pharmacy in The University of Texas at El Paso, speaks at an event in the UTEP Fox Fine Arts Recital Hall on May 15, 2024. The University announced the establishment of UTEP Health, a renewed focus on meeting the health needs of the Paso del Norte region by educating more healthcare workers to a high standard. The effort is backed by a $4.5 million matching grant from the foundation. Credit: The University of Texas at El Paso.
“UTEP Health is an effort to take what we are already doing in healthcare and dial it up through intentional and robust collaboration. With more healthcare workers and greatly expanded research into the factors that impact Hispanic health, I am confident that this initiative will result in longer, healthier lives for the people in this community,” said UTEP Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs John Wiebe.
To learn more about UTEP Health, you can visit their website here.
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