Graduate Medical Education

Texas ranks 47th among U.S. states in the number of primary care physicians per capita – highlighting the urgent need for more residency programs, especially in medically underserved regions like South Texas.

When medical students graduate with a DO or MD degree, they must complete residency training in a specialty of their choice to become fully licensed and board-certified physicians. This Graduate Medical Education (GME) phase typically spans three to five years, depending on the specialty, and may be followed by additional fellowship training in a subspecialty.

During this period, resident and fellow physicians hold a training license that allows them to provide patient care under supervision. In addition to their clinical duties, trainees are expected to meet rigorous academic and professional development requirements as they progress toward independent practice.

While some states permit limited licensure after one or two years of residency, modern medical practice overwhelmingly requires completion of a full residency and board certification. As such, residency training is essential for physicians wishing to practice in today’s complex healthcare environment.

 

GME at UIWSOM

UIWSOM is deeply committed to expanding access to care in South Texas by supporting the development of new, high-quality residency programs in the region. Evidence shows that physicians are more likely to practice within 100 miles of where they complete their residency – making GME expansion central to UIWSOM’s mission to improve health outcomes across South Texas.

Establishing new GME programs is a complex, multi-year endeavor that requires strong partnerships, dedicated faculty, sustainable financial models and a shared commitment to both medical education and patient care. To lead this effort, the UIWSOM Office of Graduate Medical Education was founded in 2014 to identify and support opportunities for GME growth.

In 2015, UIWSOM helped launch the Texas Institute for Graduate Medical Education and Research (TIGMER) – a 501(c)(3) nonprofit GME consortium. TIGMER provides academic sponsorship, shared infrastructure and accreditation expertise to residency and fellowship programs across South Texas. It holds continued accreditation as a Sponsoring Institution by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).

TIGMER-Sponsored Programs

  • Family Medicine Residency – San Antonio
  • Internal Medicine Residency – San Antonio
  • Laredo Medical Center Family Medicine Residency – Laredo
  • Laredo Medical Center Internal Medicine Residency – Laredo
  • Psychiatry Residency – San Antonio
  • Orthopaedic Hand Surgery Fellowship – San Antonio
  • Sports Medicine Fellowship – San Antonio

For additional information about GME Development in South Texas, visit the TIGMER website.