Training Rural Leaders

Huntsville memorial hospital family medicine

SHSU-COM’s Family Medicine Residency at Huntsville Memorial Hospital prepares resident physicians to serve rural and underserved populations across East Texas. This 3-year, unopposed program emphasizes primary care excellence, mentorship, hands-on clinical training, and leadership development. Residents gain continuity experience at the HMH Rural Health Clinic, with opportunities for rotations across multiple specialties and population settings.

Director's Welcome

Welcome to the Huntsville Memorial Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program.

Thank you for your interest in our program. Choosing a residency is one of the most important decisions in your career, and I am honored to lead a program that is committed to providing an environment where you will grow into a compassionate, confident, and highly skilled family physician.

Our mission is to train physician leaders who deliver exceptional, evidence-based care with compassion and excellence. We are dedicated to preparing physicians who are committed to serving their patients and communities while embracing lifelong learning, professionalism, and teamwork.

Our residents benefit from a training environment that offers many of the advantages of an unopposed program, including broad clinical exposure, extensive procedural experience, meaningful resident autonomy, and close faculty mentorship. With most rotations taking place on or near our hospital campus, residents develop strong relationships with faculty, specialists, and patients while gaining the confidence to practice the full spectrum of family medicine. Additional educational experiences throughout the greater Houston area further enrich resident training and prepare graduates for diverse career paths, including community practice, rural medicine, academic medicine, hospital medicine, and fellowship opportunities.

Just as importantly, we value the culture of our program. We strive to create a supportive, collaborative environment where residents are challenged to achieve their highest potential while maintaining personal well-being. 

Thank you for considering our residency program. We look forward to meeting applicants who share our commitment to excellence in family medicine and invite you to become part of our residency family.

Sincerely,
Shamaila Haris, MD

WHY CHOOSE THIS PROGRAM?

• Unopposed Program: Train in the only family medicine residency program at HMH, with broad exposure across many specialties
• Hands-on Rural Training: Gain continuity experience at Huntsville Memorial Hospital’s Rural Health Clinic. Residents also train in the hospital’s secure Correctional Care Unit (CCU), providing medical care to incarcerated patients in collaboration with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ).
• Academic and Community Integration: Participate in faculty-led didactics, simulation training at SHSU-COM, and medical coverage at SHSU athletics and community events.
• Diverse Clinical Rotations: Complete core rotations at HMH with off-site training in pediatrics, behavioral medicine, and newborn care in Conroe and The Woodlands.
• Professional Engagement: Engage in Journal Club, present research and case discussions, and participate in hospital committees such as the Tumor Board and Cardiology Committee.

HANDS-ON CURRICULUM & TRAINING

Residents follow the Decker Med Family Medicine Weekly Curriculum™, a continuously updated resource organized according to the ABFM Blueprint. Weekly Friday didactics include lectures by SHSU faculty and attending physicians. Residents also present cases and conduct hands-on procedural practice using the SHSU-COM simulation hospital.

WHERE THIS RESIDENCY LEADS

Residency graduates are well-prepared for practice in rural primary care, hospital-based family medicine, or advanced fellowships in areas such as sports medicine.

Life in Huntsville

Residents can use the SHSU main campus rec center, attend Bearkat games, and enjoy Huntsville’s local food trucks, hiking in the Sam Houston National Forest, and vibrant community culture. The area is family-friendly with local parks, a splash pad, and diverse childcare and faith-based options.