New UT Tyler medical school officially opens doors in East Texas

TYLER, Texas (KLTV) - UT Tyler and UT system leadership hosted the grand opening of the new school of medicine building this week.

“I’ll be honest, I was kind of starting to tear up,” says Luke Schwartz, a third year UT Tyler School of Medicine student.

For him, this means more than just a new building.

“Getting to see it grow from a pile of dirt to now housing our students, housing clinic space that was much needed in this area, seeing the impact real time has just been overwhelming emotionally, in all honesty,” says Schwartz.

From what started with dirt and a few shovels in 2023, is now a five story nearly 250,000 square feet-building dedicated to the future of East Texas health care professionals.

“This building is a testament to the needs of rural East Texas,” says Schwartz.

The LEED-certified facility, a globally recognized rating system for green buildings, includes 16 clinical skills rooms, four simulation labs, eight fully equipped surgical suites, as well as an anatomy lab.

“This building will expand access in a number of services, like OBGYN, sports medicine,” says Schwartz.

And in order to watch their programs grow, UT Tyler President Julie Philley says it all starts by believing in the next generation.

“We’re trying to recruit East Texans for East Texas….you could be a kindergartner here and grow up and go to medical school," says Philley.

Those interested are some second graders from Bonner Elementary that potentially seek a future in the medical field.

“To be biomedical magnets, if you will, to help us find a dream for these students and help them accomplish it,” says Schwartz.

He says he’s hopeful for the future of rural health care.

Medical students have already started having classes in the building. With current class sizes between 40 to 45 students, that number will grow overtime. Clinical services will begin this summer.