Mega Doctor News
There’s a considerable and growing shortage of surgeons in the United States, with projections indicating a deficit of 10,000 to 30,000 surgical specialists by 2026, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges, with medically underserved communities like the Rio Grande Valley hardest hit by the deficiency.
The result: longer travel times and delayed surgical care for patients requiring surgical care, especially those with life-threatening chronic conditions, which can result in inferior patient outcomes due to disease progression, leading to diminished functional ability, higher mortality rates and increased healthcare costs.
But the South Texas Health System GME Consortium is hoping to meet the growing need for surgeons in the Rio Grande Valley.
Launched in 2022 to help train the next generation of physicians while providing much-needed healthcare to Rio Grande Valley residents, the graduate medical education (GME) program will be launching a general surgery residency program next summer to help recruit, train and retain surgeons to meet the ever-growing need for surgical care in the four-county region.
This September, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), a not-for-profit organization that sets and monitors voluntary professional educational standards essential in preparing physicians to deliver safe, high-quality medical care to all Americans, granted the STHS GME Consortium accreditation for a five-year general residency program for 20 surgeons-in-training at its capacity.
With the accreditation, the STHS GME Consortium’s General Surgery Residency Program, in partnership with Texas A&M University and STHS Clinics, will welcome eight first- and second-year surgery residents to the Rio Grande Valley in July 2026. They will receive specialized training across South Texas Health System’s acute care facilities, including STHS McAllen’s Level I Trauma Center, STHS Edinburg’s surgical Center of Excellence and STHS Heart’s nationally recognized cardiovascular and bariatric programs, as well as provide continuity of care services to patients through STHS Clinics, which will ensure a steadfast and enhanced patient experience.
“This accreditation is a testament to our unwavering commitment to building high-quality, mission-driven residency programs that meet the healthcare needs in South Texas,” says Youssef Majed, MD, Designated Institutional Official& Chief Academic Officer, STHS GME Consortium. “This newly accredited Surgery Residency Program will play a pivotal role in expanding access to much-needed surgical care for Rio Grande Valley residents while providing exceptional training for the next generation of compassionate, skilled and community-focused surgeons.”
The general surgery residency program will offer extensive knowledge and training in multiple specialties, including colorectal, minimally invasive, breast, trauma, pediatric, transplant, vascular and oncology surgery. Working directly with clinical faculty and surgical staff at STHS’ facilities and clinics, the surgeons-in-training will be involved in the diagnosis and treatment of patients, as well as pre-, intra- and post-operative care.
“Over the three years, the STHS GME Consortium has been helping transform healthcare in the Rio Grande Valleyby providing innovative, comprehensive and high-quality care to residents,” says Lance Ames, Chief Executive Officer, STHS Edinburg & STHS Children’s. “The addition of a general surgery residency program reflects our commitment as a healthcare system to meet the growing need for specialized healthcare services in the communities we serve. Through this new residency program, the STHS GME Consortium will be providing firsthand experience, specialized subspeciality training and professional development in a supervised environment to future surgeons while ensuring patient safety, quality care and the advancement of surgical knowledge through education and research. STHS is honored to play a pivotal role in helping train the next generation of physicians, who we hope will choose to stay and serve the people of this medically underserved region at the completion of their general surgery residency program.”
With the ACGME accreditation, the STHS GME Consortium is officially ready to accept applications for its first-ever cohort of first- and second-year surgical residents through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) system. Enter the NRMP ID for the program (2407440C0). For those interested in applying, the following criteria are required:
• Must be a graduate of medical school in the United States and Canada accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) or the American Osteopathic Association (AOA)
• Must be a graduate of an international medical school and have a currently valid Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) certificate
• Must be eligible for the Physician-in-Training (PIT) Permit in Texas, more information available at the Texas Medical Board (TMB)
• Must have a passing score of each of the USMLE or COMLEX within three attempts
• Must pass all licensing examination steps within 7 years
• Must be eligible for employment in the United States
With the addition of the general surgery residency program, the STHS GME Consortium will be actively providing the clinical training, research knowledge, professionalism and critical skills necessary for 131 medical residents to become well-rounded, compassionate physicians who will positively impact the health and well-being of Valleycommunities.
“Establishing five core residency programs in just under three years—including Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Transitional Year and now General Surgery—isn’t only a historic achievement for our region; it’s also a reflection of the exceptional dedication of our leadership, faculty and clinical partners,” says Dr. Majed. “We are redefining what’s possible in academic medicine.”
To learn more about the STHS GME Consortium, visit southtexashealthsystem.com/gme-consortium.
