A letter from Dean LaTanya J. Love, MD

When I stepped through the doors of McGovern Medical School as a resident more than 25 years ago, I realized it was a special place that prioritizes people and gives them the opportunity to thrive. What I did not realize was this would become my second home, or that one day I’d have the privilege of serving as dean.

As I begin my first year leading the school, I am filled with gratitude and a sense of purpose. McGovern Medical School is more than an institution; it is a family. It is a community where people support one another, celebrate each other’s successes, and step forward together to meet challenges in service of a shared mission: training the next generation of physicians dedicated to excellence in clinical care, advancing research, and keeping patients and communities healthy. That spirit of togetherness and support has defined my journey here and continues to shape who I am.

I’ve witnessed what makes this community extraordinary. I’ve seen colleagues grow into leaders, students become physicians, and researchers advance discoveries. I've also worked alongside families — husbands and wives, siblings, and parents and children. In my own family, my husband and brother have dedicated their talents to McGovern. Their stories, and mine, underscore the sense of belonging that anchors our community and inspires out dedication to excellence in education, patient care, and research.

Together, the family of people who are McGovern Medical School have achieved remarkable progress. Our school is now the 11th largest medical school in the country. This past year, we received 6,530 applications and interviewed 1,174 prospective students for 240 positions — a testament to the strength of our reputation and the community we’ve built.

What excites me most is our impact. We are expanding opportunities to transform the health of our communities. Texas voters’ approval of Proposition 14 established the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, providing up to $3 billion over the next decade for research. Also, backed by a $50 million state investment, we are leading a first-of-its-kind multicenter ibogaine research effort targeting substance use disorder, PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and other complex neurological conditions.

This is just a glimpse of the progress taking place across our school. I encourage you to explore this report to learn more about these efforts, along with programs like Trailblazers at UTHealth Houston and the scholarships that make a meaningful difference in our students’ lives.

Building on this momentum, we are strengthening clinical foundations and deepening partnerships with Memorial Hermann Health System and Harris Health. We are reimagining medical education and preparing students and trainees to practice and lead medicine today and in the future. We are also expanding research and pursuing bold, innovative discoveries that will shape the future of health care.

Our journey, however, is far from complete. We remain committed to advancing our three core missions — education, clinical care, and research — as we evolve toward what I envision as McGovern Medical School 2.0.

Through it all, our faculty, staff, students, trainees, alumni, and community partners remain the catalyst behind all that we achieve. 

You are an important part of our extended family. I’m optimistic about McGovern Medical School’s future and look forward to all we will accomplish together.