According to a Feb. 16 news release, the College of Osteopathic Medicine will partner with Huntsville Memorial Hospital for a residency in family medicine. Dean of the College of Osteopathic Medicine Thomas Mohr said he is excited for this collaboration between the university and the hospital.
“The mission of Sam Houston State University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine is to train high-quality physicians who will improve access to primary care in rural areas and communities in need throughout East Texas and beyond,” he said in the release. “Development of residency training programs in these areas is an important component of that mission."
Mohr previously said his focus in 2023 is to increase class sizes and add those additional clinical rotations.
The first class of the College of Osteopathic Medicine will graduate in 2024. The Conroe campus, located at 925 City Central Ave., opened in Grand Central Park in 2020.
According to the release, residency training takes place after completing medical school in a hospital or clinical setting for three years. Family medicine physicians provide comprehensive health care from birth to end-of-life care, engaging in preventive health care and caring for patients as individuals and as part of the whole family. Family medicine residents will be prepared to become engaged, effective clinicians and patient advocates, Mohr said in the release.
The program is set to enroll its first class of four family medicine physicians in July and will grow to a maximum of 12 residents. The Huntsville Rural Health Clinic will serve as the primary teaching venue for the program, according to the release.
Houston Memorial Hospital CEO Patrick Shannon said he is excited to welcome the first group of cohorts this summer.
“We are fortunate to have SHSU College of Osteopathic Medicine, an outstanding institution of learning, as a community partner,” he said. “Collaborating and cooperating with such highly regarded and educated individuals is a pleasure and honor. It is extremely exciting to work with a group that shares the common goal of growing talented physicians to benefit future generations.”
