Today, patients come to UAMS Medical Center not only from every county in Arkansas but from the nation and around the world to receive medical care. This is an affirmation of the growing reputation of faculty physicians and staff at the center and is proof of their impact upon grateful patients. The difference, Wilson noted, is people, not facilities. When people think of the dramatic expansion at UAMS, they invariably think of the buildings we have constructed. The mapping of the human genome has revolutionized the entire field of medical research.
Successful research brings other benefits to the institution and the economy of the state.
UAMS currently holds over 50 patents, has signed 25 licenses for use of UAMS research, and has started nine companies based on the initiatives of faculty researchers and staff. This holds great potential for the agricultural industry in Arkansas. It will enable cultivation of specialized crops raised for their ability to efficiently produce the ingredients for new medicines. Wilson addressed the positive future effects of Initiated Act One recently passed by the people of Arkansas. This act developed a plan for utilizing funding generated by the terms of the national tobacco settlement, of which Arkansas is a part.