Austin, TX —St. David’s HealthCare, which provides care for more Central Texans than any other healthcare system, announced today the investment of $2.57 million in its Graduate Medical Education (GME) residency program, as well as a $450,000 grant from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The capital investment will support a new GME administrative space at St. David’s South Austin Medical Center and the grant will support the addition of an Obstetrics/Gynecology (OB/GYN) residency program.
In July 2021, St. David’s HealthCare became an Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Sponsoring Institution and launched its initial specialty residency program for General Surgery at St. David’s South Austin Medical Center. The General Surgery program began with five residents and has since grown to include 10 residents.
“St. David’s HealthCare has experienced tremendous growth in recent years, and we will continue to expand our GME residency program to meet the healthcare needs of the Central Texas community,” David Huffstutler, president and chief executive officer of St. David’s HealthCare, said. “The expansion and renovation of a new administrative space will support current medical students, coordinators and faculty, as well as future GME program growth.”
GME Administrative Space
St. David’s HealthCare is investing $2.57 million for the expansion and renovation of a new GME administrative space on the campus of St. David’s South Austin Medical Center. Once complete, the new 7,700-square-foot space will include 14 offices for faculty and staff, six classrooms, 10 sleep/study rooms for residents, three work/study areas, locker rooms, a large kitchen and lounge area for residents, as well as transitional space for future program growth.
OB/GYN Program
As part of The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s Graduate Medical Education Expansion Program, St. David’s HealthCare received a $450,000 grant for a new OB/GYN residency program. The coordinating board administers grants to GME programs that help increase first-year residency positions in Texas. The OB/GYN program is based at St. David’s Women’s Center of Texas and began in July with five residents in its inaugural class.
Linda Haddox, M.D., will serve as the program director for the OB/GYN residency program. Dr. Haddox will oversee the five residents who were initially matched with the program.
General Surgery Program
St. David’s HealthCare’s General Surgery residency program is based at St. David’s South Austin Medical Center, with rotations at other hospitals within the healthcare system. The program added five new residents in July.
St. David’s HealthCare’s national partner, HCA Healthcare, has been dedicated to developing GME programs for the past five years as part of its commitment to address the national physician shortage. St. David’s HealthCare residents will be part of HCA Healthcare’s national GME program, which currently has more than 5,300 residents and fellows across 320 programs in 66 teaching hospitals.