University of Texas System Board of Regents Chair, Kevin P. Eltife, has pulled down the 2023 W.T. “Doc” Ballard Award for Excellence in Public Health. Presented by the Northeast Texas Public Health District, this recognition goes to Eltife for numerous services, including his guidance and administration in setting up East Texas’ first school of medicine. He led the movement to establish the region’s first medical school, which is the seventh in the UT system since the plan to launch the project was announced in 2020. Elected leaders from throughout East Texas lent their support.

“This community is exceptionally giving, and Doc Ballard embodied that quality as well,” said Eltife. “I not only want this medical school to be a vehicle for better health for the community, but I also want it to provide an amazing educational opportunity for East Texas students.”

His enthusiasm for this project has been positively infectious, and resulted in philanthropic gifts that will finance four-year scholarships for full tuition for the first two graduating classes and will assist in meeting mental health needs throughout East Texas. UT Tyler President Dr. Kirk A. Calhoun, MD, FACP won this honor in 2013. He now credits this year’s recipient.

“This award recognizes those who have made a commitment to enhancing the health of our community, and that perfectly describes Chairman Eltife,” he said. “Our new school of medicine would not have been possible without his leadership and tireless advocacy. We are dedicated to improving the health outcomes for our region and addressing the shortage of physicians essential to improving those outcomes for all East Texans.”

The School of Medicine opened its doors to its first student body on 26 June as 40 interns arrived to start classes. Construction on the $308 million Medical Education Building commenced in January, and when completed will house the school. UT Tyler will use these facilities in pursuit of its objective of providing educational and healthcare resources throughout and beyond East Texas. UT-Tyler already offers more than 90 undergraduate and graduate programs to almost 10,000 students.

Through its alignment with UT Tyler Health Science Center and UT Health East Texas, UT Tyler has unified these entities to serve Texas with quality education, cutting-edge research and excellent patient care. Classified by Carnegie as a doctoral research institution and by U.S. News & World Report as a national university, UT Tyler has campuses in Tyler, Longview, Palestine, and Houston.