UT Tyler School of Medicine Awarded Over $1 Million HRSA Grant

Funds to support rural residency program

 

TYLER, Texas (September 14, 2023) –The University of Texas at Tyler School of Medicine was awarded $1,091,720 from the Health Resources and Services Administration for the General Preventive Residency program.

This two-year residency currently accommodates four residents. This four-year grant will increase the number of residents by 50%, allowing the program to accommodate six residents.

The program is one of only two public health and general preventive medicine residencies in Texas. It serves the northeast Texas region, with a population of 1.5 million residing in 35 counties, 30 of which are considered rural. The region is second only to the Rio Grande Valley Region in percentage of unmet patient needs due to a shortage of physicians.

“Thank you to all those who contributed to securing this grant,” said Dr. Brigham C. Willis, founding dean of the School of Medicine. “In these critical times, it is imperative that we invest in the future of health care of our region by empowering the next generation of physicians in our Preventive Medicine and Population Health program.

“The goals of the HRSA grant are to expand the number of residents trained in preventive medicine and to expand their educational experience to better serve the people of East Texas,” said Dr. Peter Pendergrass, program director of the general preventive medicine residency. “This grant allows us to further the mission of the School of Medicine in educating the next generation of physicians who will serve East Texas.”