LUBBOCK – Former Gov. Preston Smith had a vision of providing more physicians to the West Texas area. Now 40 years later, the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center celebrated his vision by honoring the founding fathers of the first School of Medicine, faculty, alumni and students with a weeklong celebration.
On May 27, 1969, Smith signed House Bill 498 creating the Texas Tech University School of Medicine as a multi-campus institution with Lubbock as the administrative center and campuses in Amarillo, El Paso and Odessa.
At that time professionals and hospitals were scarce: 19 of the surrounding counties had no physicians; the area had only one-third of the national physicians-to-patients ratio and 23 of the surrounding counties had no hospital. Today, the TTUHSC School of Medicine has graduated more than 3,000 physicians.
TTUHSC President John C. Baldwin, M.D., said the SOM brings with it more than just an opportunity to educate future health-care professionals.
“As we educate medical students, as we endeavor to impact the vast body of knowledge needed to practice medicine in the 21st century, we are continually working to keep alive in them the spark, the intellectual curiosity, that brought them to the science, as well as the art of medicine,” Baldwin said. “As we look to the next forty years, we should build on the strengths evident in our mission and values. If we do, our SOM will not only compete successfully but lead nationally and internationally.”
Steven Berk, M.D., dean of the School of Medicine, said this school has much to be proud of and has set a goal to become a symbol of excellence and achievement for the region, state and nation. “We continue to strive to meet that goal through achievements in education, research and patient care,” Berk said.
He added that Gov. Smith’s vision grew beyond expectations. The School of Medicine now meets the health care needs of more than 2.5 million people who live throughout a vast 108 county area and health care providers see about 200,000 patients each year.
Berk said that the School of Medicine almost has doubled National Institutes of Health funding and research expenditures, supporting 69 projects including groundbreaking research in cancer treatment and prevention, healthy aging, infectious diseases, addiction and alcoholism and pain management.
“It is to the founding fathers’ credit that we have achieved much and served many during the past 40 years. Without their vision and tenacity, as well as the support of the state legislature and our community, this School of Medicine and now Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center would not exist,” Berk said.
