The Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine

Brief History

In April 1959 Texas Governor Price Daniel signed House Bill 9 to establish the South Texas Medical School, the first component of the institution that would soon become the Health Science Center. In July 1968 the medical school, now known as the Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine (Long SOM), and the Bexar County Teaching Hospital, now known as University Hospital, were dedicated. Thirty-three medical students graduated with the Doctor of Medicine degree in the first medical school commencement in June 1970. Today there are nearly 900 medical students receiving their education at the Long SOM. In 1998 the Texas State Legislature authorized the creation of the Regional Academic Health Center (RAHC) in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, to be administered by the Long SOM, and in June 2002 the RAHC opened its doors to train third- and fourth-year medical students and residents. The Long SOM continued to operate the RAHC until 2013 when the Texas State Legislature approved the expansion of the RAHC into a separate medical school, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley SOM, which enrolled its first class of 50 first-year medical students in 2016. 

Mission Statement

The mission of the Long School of Medicine is to provide responsive and comprehensive education, research and service of the highest quality in order to meet the health-related needs of the citizens of Texas. In all aspects of fulfilling this mission, the Long School of Medicine is committed to ensuring successful achievement of the institutional priorities to:

•   Cultivate a pervasive, adaptive and respectful environment promoting diversity, professionalism, humanism, equal treatment and opportunity

•   Provide exemplary medical education and training to a diverse body of health career professionals at all levels while fostering a commitment to scholarship, leadership and life-long learning across the educational continuum

•   Build and sustain recognized leadership, and advance scholarship excellence across the biomedical and health-related research spectrum

•   Deliver exemplary and compassionate health care to enhance every patient's quality of life

•   Serve as a responsive resource to address community health needs whether local or global

•   Attain health equity for the diverse patient population of South Texas

Accreditation

The Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) program is accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), the body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education for accreditation of programs of medical education leading to the M.D. degree in the United States.

Confidentiality

The Long SOM and the health science center will, to the extent possible, maintain the confidentiality of information in accordance with institutional, state, and federal regulations and requirements.


Inclusive Excellence in Academic Medicine

The Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine (LSOM) is an academic health-related institution that is firmly rooted in its tripartite mission of research, education and patient-care.  UT Health at San Antonio is committed to discovery and innovation, community engagement, and inclusive excellence by all of its members.

The LSOM and UT Health San Antonio are committed to attracting qualified students faculty, and staff with diverse backgrounds, knowledge, and experiences. We view diversity as a core value which embodies inclusiveness, mutual respect, and multiple perspectives and serves as a catalyst for change resulting in health equity. In this context, we are mindful of all aspects of human differences at both and group levels. Programs and initiatives are aimed to meet the needs of all learners including effective practices to support students traditionally underrepresented in academic medicine.

The LSOM recognizes that the medical profession has an obligation to meet the health needs of all populations in an ever-increasing heterogeneous society.  Cultural competency training in medical education translates into more effective and culturally competent physicians who are familiar with the connection between sociocultural factors, health beliefs, and behaviors, thereby better preparing them to serve a growing culturally and linguistically diverse patient population.

At the LSOM we are particularly focused on addressing health disparities in our community. Health disparities—gaps in health and healthcare that mirror differences in geographic location, socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity or education—remain persistent and pervasive.  The LSOM will ensure exposure to health disparities pedagogy to all learners by providing skill-building and practical advocacy skills, in both the preclinical and clerkship settings.