South Texas Health System launches its Internal Medicine Residency Program – Rio Grande Guardian

MCALLEN, Texas – South Texas Health System has announced the launch of its inaugural Internal Medicine Residency Program, beginning in July.

After receiving approval from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) earlier this month, the program will offer 20 spots to physicians seeking a residency in internal medicine as part of STHS’s Graduate Medical Education Consortium in collaboration with Texas A&M University and ASAS Health.

The announcement follows the establishment of the hospital’s Family Medicine Residency Program in January, which also launches this summer with a cohort of ten physicians from around the world.

In celebration of both launches, STHS held a ceremony at the Radisson Hotel McAllen Airport to discuss these achievements and the goals for the programs in the coming years.

Tom Castañeda, STHS system director of marketing and public relations, emceed the event and presented sobering facts about the physician shortage in the Rio Grande Valley, one of the most medically underserved areas in the country. The Valley is also one of the fastest growing regions in the country, with a projected population of 2.4 million by 2045. Without drastic action, the Valley is estimated to have one of the highest rates of unmet primary care physician needs by 2032.

However, the work to address the shortage began decades ago. A video presentation shared the history of Valley’s first family medicine residency program. Since its founding in 1977 with the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, the STHS McAllen Family Residency Program at STHS McAllen (formerly McAllen Methodist Hospital) has graduated more than 300 physicians in 40 cohorts. Nearly 50 percent of these physicians have remained in the Valley and have gone on to treat more than 300,000 patients.

“STHS has always had its finger on the pulse of the needs of the community,” said Mary Alice Reyes, vice chair of the STHS board. “And it has been at the forefront and taking the lead in addressing these needs within an integrated – the largest integrated – network of care in the Rio Grande Valley. While great progress has been made in expanding access, I think you all know that the need is still so great and there is still more work to be done. The (STHS) GME Consortium will continue that great work.”

Senator Morgan LaMantia, the ceremony’s keynote speaker, applauded STHS for their efforts and emphasized the need for more GME programs in the region.

“Many medical professionals decide to stay in the areas where they complete their residency programs,” LaMantia says. “And expanding the number of residencies and GME programs is an integral part of solving the physician shortage problem. I am confident that this program will provide significant benefits in ensuring that our young professionals are well-prepared for the workforce and that they choose to remain here in the Rio Grande Valley for many, many years to come.”

Dr. Youssef Majed, the designated institutional officer and chief academic officer of the STHS GME Consortium, outlined the hospital’s plans to expand their residency and fellowship opportunities over the next three years. By 2026, they plan to have between 200 and 300 residents enrolled in various GME programs. In five years, they hope to have six to eight residencies in specialties such as neurology, general surgery and psychiatry, as well as eight fellowships in subspecialties such as nephrology, gastroenterology and rheumatology.

In his speech, Majed thanked his colleagues and the GME program directors who will oversee the residencies. He said their impact will be felt in the Valley and beyond.

“Thank you for your leadership,” Majed said. “I know this will be a huge responsibility, leading your entire team and competing in a healthy way to make these programs the best of the best, not just here for the Valley, but across all states, in the whole country. We’re not looking at (the) Rio Grande Valley. We are not talking about a province here. We look at the United States of America. In five years we will be exporting doctors to the United States. This goes beyond just the Valley or the state of Texas.”

Dr. Asim Elahi, program director for the internal medicine residency program, assured Majed and the audience that he strives to provide the absolute best training for the physicians under his care.

“My goal or mission is that I’m going to train them the best I can,” Elahi said. “We are going to compete with the nation. It’s not going to be a Valley thing. It will be the best in the entire US. And I am confident we can do that easily, with (parent company) UHS (Universal Health Services) and South Texas Health (System) behind us with every resource.”

Dr. Heidi Pareja, program director of the family medicine residency program, said she is looking forward to meeting her cohort and can’t wait to see them transform into the great physicians the Valley so desperately needs.

“I am once again very excited to have the opportunity to bring ten residents on board,” said Pareja. “… It really has been an amazing journey, just watching great physicians… and seeing them blossom and transform into great physicians that we need in our region.”

While the Valley will undoubtedly benefit from the influx of physicians to the area, Reyes says the residents themselves will gain an invaluable experience that few in their field will ever experience.

“The consortium’s primary goal since its inception has been to provide access to health care to underserved communities,” Reyes said. “That’s why, as an educator, I’m so excited that we’re offering graduate medical students the opportunity to learn about the needs of children and families in underserved communities. This will broaden their experience and perspective and will certainly serve them well in their future medical careers. At the same time, they provide services to people, children and families who need them most. That seems like the best win-win situation ever to me.”

LaMantia closed the event with a look back at the long-neglected communities that will finally see relief.

“This program is about bringing quality health care closer to home for our families and our neighbors,” LaMantia said. “It’s about ensuring that every member of our community gets the care they need when they need it most, right in our own backyard. The impact of the work done here will be felt far and wide. It resonates with the countless individuals and families I have had the opportunity to talk to in our region. To me, access to quality healthcare is both a necessity and a lifeline, and I believe today’s launch represents significant progress in our efforts to ensure every resident has access to quality care.”

For more information about STHS’ GME Consortium, visit their website here.