Mega Doctor News
Higher education is the key to building a strong healthcare workforce, with the high-quality education and training that college students receive helping establish clinical competence, including the foundational knowledge and skills required for quality patient care.
While the healthcare industry currently employs more than 18.15 million people in the United States, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the nation’s aging population and rising prevalence of chronic conditions like heart disease, obesity and diabetes will result in significant occupation growth in the coming years, with projections for about 1.9 million new job openings each year through 2024.
In its commitment to meet the ever-growing need for healthcare workers in the Rio Grande Valley, South Texas Health System (STHS) has been proudly supporting local educational institutions and non-profit organizations with nursing and allied health programs, including the Texas A&M University Higher Education Center at McAllen.
To help expand the healthcare system’s partnership with Texas A&M University beyond its current residency programs through the STHS GME Consortium and help the McAllen campus launch its Bachelor of Science in Nursing program in Spring 2026, STHS recently donated $5,000 to the university’s McAllen campus.
“In recent years, we’ve seen a growing demand for healthcare services across our four-county region, which requires a highly skilled workforce with the firsthand practical training that allows them to provide competent patient-centered care,” says Lance Ames, Chief Executive Officer, STHS Edinburg & STHS Children. “The Texas A&M University Higher Education Center at McAllen is providing local students with vital, specialized education and skills that will help further elevate the healthcare industry in the Rio Grande Valley and across Texas. With the launch of the McAllen campus’ new nursing program in spring 2026, the future looks promising for the region, and we’re honored to be collaborating with the center to help build a proficient workforce that can deliver quality, compassionate care to patients in the communities we serve.”
In addition to helping to relieve the financial burden that many students face when pursuing a higher education through scholarships, the donation will be used to support the campus’ continued efforts to initiate additional allied health programs and projects.
“South Texas Health System has once again demonstrated its generosity and commitment to higher education through a second consecutive donation to our center,” says Ernie Aliseda, Chief Operating Officer & Associate Vice President, Texas A&M University Higher Education Center at McAllen. “We are deeply honored to receive this contribution, which directly supports our shared goal of preparing future Aggie healthcare professionals to excel in high-demand fields and contribute their specialized skills to the advancement of our region and beyond.”
It’s the second year in a row that STHS has donated to the Texas A&M University Higher Education Center at McAllen to support students pursuing allied health careers, bringing the total of educational scholarship funds to $15,000.
As the largest integrated network of care in the Rio Grande Valley, STHS employs more than 3,500 employees across 12 facilities in the region, all committed to providing quality, compassionate care. To learn more about STHS, including its philanthropic efforts to help develop a strong healthcare workforce, download the system’s 2025 Community Profile at www.southtexashealthsystem.com/about/.
