The Need for More Physicians — of Every Color

Dr. Joseph Thornton is a beloved physician and longtime Southern Nevadan. An associate professor of surgery for the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV, he not only cares for patients, but also mentors medical students and teaches resident physicians. As someone who’s lived in Southern Nevada for many years, he’s witnessed the city’s growth — but he’s also keenly aware of the progress that still needs to be made. 

I moved to Las Vegas from Chicago in 1978, because I saw a dire need for colon and rectal surgeons in Southern Nevada. Back then, as far as medicine and healthcare goes, this place reminded me of one of those old country western movies. Like a lonely outpost with tumbleweeds rolling through town. What I mean is, there wasn’t much in the way of quality medical care. Very few doctors, and even fewer Black doctors. In fact, when I arrived, there were a total of six Black doctors and dentists in Las Vegas. If you were Black, you only had a few choices on the west side, or Southern Nevada Memorial Hospital — where they cared for all residents, regardless of color. 

In those days, the joke, “The best place to go in Las Vegas for good healthcare is the airport” was very often the truth — because sick folks sometimes had to travel to different states to find specialists. 

But fast-forward 40-plus years, and we’ve seen an explosion of healthcare professionals in many specialties — resulting in the rare need to leave town. We now have excellent specialists who’ve trained at some of the most prestigious institutions in the country — such as Harvard, UCLA and Mayo Clinic. It wasn’t easy attracting these professionals; but as our community grew, so did the ability to present Las Vegas as a normal place to live. But we still need more doctors. Nevada is 48th in the country when it comes to physicians per population. 

The Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV is helping correct the shortages, and has a mission of training local students who will return here if they need to leave for advanced training. We are especially interested in minority students from Las Vegas who understand the unique needs of this community. 

As part of the medical school’s effort to recruit minority students, we regularly hold outreach events to educate young people about careers in medicine and the path to medical school. I can tell you, being a physician is extremely rewarding, and I would love to see more people of color pursuing this profession. 

We are waiting to hear from you. Learn more: UNLV.edu/medicine.