November 4, 2026 - 4:50 pm

A major healthcare provider is giving $2 million to the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV to help address Southern Nevada’s shortage of physicians.

At an event on Wednesday, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield announced that its $2 million commitment will establish an endowment to support a medical fellowship in rheumatology, one of the many specialities where there’s a shortage of physicians in the state.

“With this investment, we were looking for a way to ensure that it would pay dividends over time,” said Joy Thomas, president and CEO of government business at Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Nevada. “By supporting medical training in Southern Nevada, we are ensuring that those services will be offered here.”

Thomas said the fellowship endowment has been two years in the making.

Thomas was joined at the Wednesday event held at the medical school by UNLV President Chris Heavey; Dr.…