Today@Sam Article
SHSU-COM Awarded GME Planning Grant to Launch New Internal Medicine and General Surgery Residency Programs
Sept. 2, 2025
SHSU Media Contact: Campbell Atkins
By Brittany Foreman
Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (SHSU-COM), in partnership with the Sam Houston Regional Education Consortium (SHREC), has been awarded a nearly $500,000 Graduate Medical Education (GME) Planning and Partnership Grant from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The funding will support the development of new internal medicine and general surgery residency programs in partnership with St. Joseph Medical Center in downtown Houston.
“This grant provides an important opportunity to grow our partnership with St. Joseph Medical Center," said Thomas J. Mohr, D.O., dean of SHSU-COM. "Our third and fourth-year medical students currently complete clinical rotations at St. Joseph, and it has proven to be an exceptional learning environment for those future physicians. Developing residency programs in internal medicine and general surgery is a natural extension of that relationship."
SHREC will work alongside St. Joseph Medical Center to launch residency programs aimed at securing accreditation in internal medicine and general surgery. The internal medicine program will train physicians to manage complex adult medical conditions across both inpatient and outpatient settings, while the general surgery program will prepare residents to deliver operative care in a variety of environments. Both programs will emphasize hands-on training, interprofessional collaboration, and a commitment to service, reflecting the institutions’ shared goals to increase access to high-quality healthcare for Texans.
“St. Joseph Medical Center is proud to serve as a clinical training partner for SHSU-COM,” said Thomas Dunning, CEO of St. Joseph Medical Center. “We are excited to build on our existing partnership by offering advanced training through these residency programs. With our experienced physicians, two brand new, state-of-the-art cath labs, dedicated surgical unit, and strong focus on patient care and outcomes, we are well positioned to support physicians in these high-demand fields.”
The Planning and Partnership Grant program is a key component of the state’s broader GME Expansion initiative, which aims to increase the number of first-year residency positions available to medical graduates trained in Texas. From 2014 to 2023, the initiative supported the creation of 33 new residency programs and 275 new residency positions statewide.
By launching new programs in internal medicine and general surgery, SHSU-COM and St. Joseph Medical Center are helping ensure that more Texas-trained physicians have the opportunity to stay and practice in the communities that need them most.
About SHSU College of Osteopathic Medicine
Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine is dedicated to training physicians who are mission-driven, community-focused, and prepared to serve rural and medically underserved populations across Texas. With a focus on whole-patient care and osteopathic principles, SHSU-COM is helping meet the state’s critical healthcare workforce needs.
About St. Joseph Medical Center
Located in the heart of Houston, St. Joseph Medical Center has served the community for over 135 years. The hospital is committed to providing exceptional care to a diverse patient population and to supporting the next generation of healthcare professionals through clinical training and graduate medical education partnerships.
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