Almost $1 Million Awarded to Develop Residency Programs
By Sean Price

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Four Texas medical schools, hospitals, and nonprofit organizations received about $250,000 each to develop new first-year graduate medical education (GME) programs in the state. 

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) awarded the one-time grants as part of its Planning and Partnership Grant Program, which helps institutions create residency programs. It also encourages partnerships between applicants and existing GME programs. 

THECB received 13 applications for 2019-20 funds and awarded $999,579 to four institutions: 

  • Baptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas, which partnered with Sam Houston State College of Osteopathic Medicine in Conroe, received $250,000. The medical school is expected to admit its first class in 2020. The grant will focus on developing residencies in internal medicine, psychiatry, and general surgery in Beaumont.
  • Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine – which partnered with CHI St. Joseph Health, MHMR Authority of Brazos Valley, and the Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center – received $250,000. The grant is for planning a residency in psychiatry in Bryan.
  • Texas Institute for Graduate Medical Education and Research – which partnered with The University of the Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine in San Antonio, Gateway Community Health Centers, and Cuero Regional Hospital – received $249,579. The grant will focus on planning a family medicine rural training track that ties in San Antonio, Hebbronville, Zapata, and Cuero.
  • University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine – which partnered with Lake Granbury Medical Center, Lakeside Physicians, and Ruth’s Place – received $250,000. The grant is for planning a family medicine residency in Granbury. 

The program is part of the state omnibus GME expansion legislation passed in 2013. State-funded medical schools established after 2016 must plan for a ratio of 1.1 first-year entering residency positions for every student they graduate, as required by state law. 

The goal of the law is to keep Texas medical school graduates in state for their medical careers. Research shows that most physicians set up practice in the state where they do their residency. 

Planning grants issued through this program from 2014 to 2018 resulted in 13 new residency programs and helped Texas achieve the ratio of 1.1 residency positions to one medical school graduate.

Last Updated On

September 05, 2019

Originally Published On

September 05, 2019