AUSTIN, Texas — Staffing shortages across Texas hospitals have become more evident during the pandemic. St. David’s HealthCare is making an effort to help fill gaps when it comes to physician shortages. 

What You Need To Know

  • As the COVID-19 pandemic drags on and hospitalizations tick up, staffing shortages have become apparent in Texas hospitals

  • In response, St. David's HealthCare is now sponsoring several new graduate medical education programs

  • The program is essentially designed to keep doctors in the community 

  • St. David's HealthCare is adding an OB/GYN program as well 

 

In an effort to increase the limited number of residency options in Texas and retain more graduates in the community, St. David’s HealthCare recently became an Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Sponsoring Institution of several new graduate medical education (GME) programs. 

“There are medical students who are graduating, and when they're applying for general surgery spots, there aren't enough of them,” Dr. Jason Brocker, the general surgery program director, said. “Having them do residency here, they know how the city life is. They know how the community is. Our odds of keeping them in the community increases dramatically.” 

According to the Association of American Medical Colleges Texas continues to have fewer physicians per 100,000 people than the nation as a whole. Adding additional programs at St. David's could help fill a physician shortage locally and across the state.  

“In Texas, our medical schools produce a significant number of outstanding graduates, yet the limited number of post-graduate residency slots means that many students leave the state to train and establish their practices elsewhere,” David Huffstutler, president and chief executive officer of St. David’s HealthCare, said. “As a result, Texas loses physicians at a time when there is a significant need for well-trained doctors.” 

St. David’s HealthCare’s GME programs began in July with five residents in its initial specialty residency program, general surgery.  

“A lot of what that means for us is just learning how to be a doctor, you know, for the first time,” Dr. Kayla Brown, part of the St. David’s first new residency program, said.  

She’s in Austin for the next five years.  

“By the time that we're fourth and fifth years, we will be what's called a senior resident,” Dr. Brown said. “We'll just have more operating experience.” 

The general surgery residency program is based at St. David’s South Austin Medical Center, with rotations at other hospitals within the health care system.  

Additionally, an obstetrics/gynecology (OB/GYN) program will be added within a year. The general surgery program will grow to include 25 residents within the next five years, and the OB/GYN program will grow to include 20 residents.