Concerning changes in teaching hospitals for UTRGV School of Medicine

[wysdoc]

1. The UTRGV President Guy Bailey and the UTRGV Medical School Dean Dr. Michael Hocker published this statement on October 12, 2022.
UTRGV/DHR Health Affiliation

Read their statement carefully, as it will have a definite impact on those of you who are considering attending medical school at UTRGV. There has apparently been a formal statement from leaders at Doctors Hospital at Renaissance (DHR) as well, but it has gone out at first to doctors with privileges at DHR and not to the general public. In essence DHR is saying it will not have UTRGV residents and fellows at DHR, once the ones already in process have finished their training.

2. UTRGV has a contract with Knapp Medical Center in Weslaco Texas, where there is a Family Practice Residency taking 5 or 6 residents a year. It is rumored that the latest contract proffer was not accepted/renewed by Knapp Medical Center. The current agreement comes to an end in January 2023.

You will see in the published letter that Dr. Bailey says this was not unexpected, and that these kinds of contract changes are common. However, I don't see any definite plans of which teaching hospital will take the place of these two hospitals. The loss of these teaching sites, to a medical school which is still striving to reach full accreditation status, are a serious concern.

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[Numpostrophe]

As premedical students, it's difficult to understand the impacts of these types of changes. How does this affect UTRGV's medical training and further prospects for now?

 

[MercifulCamper]

As premedical students, it's difficult to understand the impacts of these types of changes. How does this affect UTRGV's medical training and further prospects for now?

DHR is the only Level I trauma center in the RGV. You likely won't be able to do more specialized clinical rotations nearby without access to it.

 

[Numpostrophe]

So students who are interested in certain specialties will have to work harder to find away rotations for a competitive residency application?

 

[wysdoc]

I would like to give an update with what I know about the changes in the UTRGV Residency site situation.

1. Here is an announcement from UTRGV that their GME program (their residencies and fellowships) has just passed their accreditation visit from the ACGME and remains in good standing. UTRGV School of Medicine commended for its Graduate Medical Education Program

If you read the entire article and the links, you can see which hospitals are still listed on their web page as sites for residents and fellows.
UTRGV <system-page-title/>

2. Regarding DHR (Doctors Hospital at Renaissance) pulling out of their agreement to host residents and fellows at DHR, I have no official updates. They appear to still have residents there, but they are probably letting those already placed at DHR finish out their contracts.
If you look up the ERAS list of Family Medicine residencies in Texas for 2023, for example, DHR is listed as "not participating".

3. The Knapp Medical Center family medicine residency (Mercedes, Texas) is still ongoing, but I don't know if it is going to carry on an affiliation with UTRGV or with another medical school. Knapp is owned by PRIME Healthcare, a large for-profit chain.

4. Knapp Medical Center and McAllen Medical Center are still listed as "participating" in the Family Medicine Residency match on ERAS for 2023.

5. Valley Baptist Medical Center (Harlingen, TX) is listed on the ERAS Family Medicine residency list as "unregistered."

6. UTRGV medical school itself remains in the "provisional accreditation" status on LCME, the medical school accrediting body. They were just promoted from "preliminary" accreditation to "provisional" in 2021 despite taking their first incoming class in 2016.
The LCME does not publish the dates of its site visits, but I expect that their next full inspection of UTRGV will be in spring of 2023. This inspection is crucial to the accreditation path of UTRGV School of Medicine.

The LCME gives their official report details after a site visit to the medical school only, and it is up to the medical school to release any information about it. The change in status, if any, will eventually appear on the LCME list of accredited US medical schools.
The LCME ONLY makes a public announcement after a site visit if they have decided to place the medical school on probation. Confidentiality - LCME


The medical school accreditation body (LCME) is distinct and separate from the residency accreditation body (ACGME).


I will post new information as I can find it.

 

[wysdoc]

Feb 11, 2023 update:
1. The LCME inspection/site visit for the UTRGV medical school has occurred and now waiting for the results and report. I will update when I hear.

2. Despite the ACGME blessing (see above) of the residency programs (GME) that UTRGV has in place, there have been more developments with respect to what DHR is/is not willing to do. While they initially said that all residents in progress would be able to finish out their residency years at DHR, this will not happen for most residencies and the residents for several specialties will transfer to other cities that have space, with the assistance of ACGME. I have a good source of info for this but can't say more until I see an official notice.
The residency spots at Knapp Medical Center, Valley Baptist Harlingen, and McAllen Medical Center are unaffected (FM, General Surgery, and IM).

3. So, the residency situation is in flux and the crucial medical school accreditation visit results are pending. I'll update when I know more.

 

[wysdoc]

March 27, 2023 update:

1. The LCME report on the latest site visit for the UTRGV medical school still pending.

2. There is some better news regarding the establishment of a partnership with HCA for 2 teaching hospitals which will be affiliated with UTRGV.
Rio Grande Regional Hospital (McAllen, TX, 20 minutes from the medical school) and Valley Regional Hospital (Brownsville TX, 1 hr 15 minutes from the medical school) plan to have residencies starting next Match Year (2024). There are no details about what fields the residencies will be in. This plan needs to be approved by the UT System Board of Regents, which I think is likely.
UTRGV and HCA Healthcare Gulf Coast Division announce creation of physician residencies at Brownsville, McAllen hospitals

3. Will this latest development about teaching hospitals to replace DHR, which pulled out of their affiliation with UTRGV, "be enough"?
One thing to remember is that this agreement was not in place at the time of the LCME inspection in February. We'll see...

 

[TexasMed_NonTrad]

March 27, 2023 update:

1. The LCME report on the latest site visit for the UTRGV medical school still pending.

2. There is some better news regarding the establishment of a partnership with HCA for 2 teaching hospitals which will be affiliated with UTRGV.
Rio Grande Regional Hospital (McAllen, TX, 20 minutes from the medical school) and Valley Regional Hospital (Brownsville TX, 1 hr 15 minutes from the medical school) plan to have residencies starting next Match Year (2024). There are no details about what fields the residencies will be in. This plan needs to be approved by the UT System Board of Regents, which I think is likely.
UTRGV and HCA Healthcare Gulf Coast Division announce creation of physician residencies at Brownsville, McAllen hospitals

3. Will this latest development about teaching hospitals to replace DHR, which pulled out of their affiliation with UTRGV, "be enough"?
One thing to remember is that this agreement was not in place at the time of the LCME inspection in February. We'll see...

DHR Health, Texas A&M Health to make 'big announcement' next week – Rio Grande Guardian

EDINBURG, Texas - DHR Health and Texas A&M Health are going to make a big announcement next week regarding an expanded collaboration in the areas of

riograndeguardian.com

Some interesting news involving DHR Health actually, following the break in affiliation with UTRGV. Appears they will now be partnering with Texas A&M to launch some new programs together...

 

[wysdoc]

DHR Health, Texas A&M Health to make 'big announcement' next week – Rio Grande Guardian

EDINBURG, Texas - DHR Health and Texas A&M Health are going to make a big announcement next week regarding an expanded collaboration in the areas of

riograndeguardian.com

Some interesting news involving DHR Health actually, following the break in affiliation with UTRGV. Appears they will now be partnering with Texas A&M to launch some new programs together...

Thanks @TexasMed_NonTrad I saw that too, but since it was kind of a vague announcement I will post again when I know some facts.

 

[MercifulCamper]

Thanks @TexasMed_NonTrad I saw that too, but since it was kind of a vague announcement I will post again when I know some facts.

Makes no sense. DHR should be working with UTRGV to better the greater valley community.

 

[wysdoc]

Here is the DHR Announcement about their plans to affiliate with Texas A&M.
Audio: DHR signs partnership agreement with Texas A&M Health

 

[Numpostrophe]

Wow, A&M just sprawls their medical training across the entire state. Seems odd.

 

[Panteja]

Is there any news about the residency programs at DHR?

 

[wysdoc]

Is there any news about the residency programs at DHR?

All I know is their announcement that they will partner now with Texas A & M. Which specific residencies will exist in this DHR/A&M partnership have not been announced and will be subject to ACGME approval before the 2024 match.

 

[wysdoc]

June 17, 2023 Update - Residency Programs at DHR :

1. DHR has officially withdrawn all its residency and fellowship programs that were labelled "UTRGV/DHR".

2. Some of them are being reborn now with the label "Doctors Hospital at Renaissance Ltd." ACGME lists them as open beginning in 2023, but with this late change I think these will be empty placeholders and will bring in their first residency applicants in 2024.
Preliminary approval shows up for these 5 residencies:
Listed as Doctors Hospital at Renaissance, Ltd. (Not affiliated with ANY medical school!)
1. Emergency Medicine
2. Family Medicine
3. Internal Medicine
4. Diagnostic Radiology
5. General Surgery

There used to be an OB/GYN residency under the DHR/UTRGV affiliation, DHR Ltd. has not re-established it.
There used to be Fellowships in Cardiology, Endocrine, Nephrology, and GI under the DHR/UTRGV affiliation; these have ended for now and no word on future re-establishment.

3. The DHR proposed affiliation with Texas A&M School of Medicine is officially no longer going to happen.
(see their previous announcement in April 2023 above #11 )

Here are the new press releases, first from Texas A&M, then from DHR:
BREAKING NEWS: Texas A&M HSC cuts ties with DHR Health

DHR Health confirms its split from Texas A&M HSC

 

[wysdoc]

June 17, 2023 Update on UTRGV SOM:

UTRGV has been granted Full Accreditation status following its most recent LCME site visit. (see posts # 5,6,7 above)
This is good news for current UTRGV students.
The continuing challenge for the school will be developing hospital rotation sites for MS3 and MS4 students. Right now there are only the 2 HCA hospitals mentioned here: #7

UTRGV press release:
UTRGV School of Medicine awarded final stage of accreditation

 

[wysdoc]

October 21, 2023 Update on UTRGV SOM

Following the announcement of full accreditation above there have been few updates:
1. I have seen no further news in the press on the residencies in the planning stage announced in March 2023. (same link I posted in March above)
UTRGV and HCA Healthcare Gulf Coast Division announce creation of physician residencies at Brownsville, McAllen hospitals
Those of you who know more about the ERAS application starting now for 2024 residencies may be able to search and see which residencies are taking applications at these 2 HCA hospitals.

2. Current FM residencies affiliated with UTRGV which are now housed at McAllen Medical Center and Edinburg Children's Hospital will be coming to an end in July 2024. Will these residencies be continued under affliation with a different medical school, or independently? There is no official word.

3. This leaves UTRGV SOM for the moment with only one hospital in the region where MS3 and MS4 students can do inpatient care rotations: Valley Baptist Medical Center, in Harlingen. The other sites UTRGV SOM lists as their clinical rotation sites are all outpatient clinics, like 2 VA clinics (McAllen and Harlingen) and several longterm behavioral /mental health facilities.

If anyone has heard something more specific please DM me.

 

[wysdoc]

A detailed article from the December 2, 2024 New Yorker magazine about the shutdown of the OB residency at DHR Hospital, and more
The Texas Exodus by Stephania Taladrid

 

[MercifulCamper]

A detailed article from the December 2, 2024 New Yorker magazine about the shutdown of the OB residency at DHR Hospital, and more
The Texas Exodus by Stephania Taladrid

This article just furthers my contempt for DHR... such a damning account of the state of healthcare in the RGV. Such a damning account of the unintended consequences of outright banning abortion in the State in a way that sows distrust even within the medical team. Nurses threatening to sue the residents and attendings?! Reluctance to treat ectopic pregnancies. I mean wtf...

Thanks for sharing @wysdoc

 

[wysdoc]

This article just furthers my contempt for DHR... such a damning account of the state of healthcare in the RGV. Such a damning account of the unintended consequences of outright banning abortion in the State in a way that sows distrust even within the medical team. Nurses threatening to sue the residents and attendings?! Reluctance to treat ectopic pregnancies. I mean wtf...

The rift between DHR and UTRGV preceded the antiabortion laws, but was part and parcel of the hospital’s profit above all mentality.
The TMA backs doctors treating ectopic pregnancies with the health of the mother foremost and despite political posturing no doctors have been arrested for doing so. I applaud the courage of the doctor in this story for cutting through the fearmongering to do right by his patient

 

[wysdoc]

UTRGV residency list shrinks by one more: See these attached photos.

The McAllen Family Medicine Residency program at McAllen Medical Center (MMC) has been in operation since 1977, at first successfully affiliated with UTHSC San Antonio.
Changing their affiliation to UTRGV in 2015, they continued having 6 residents a year but recently announced they will "sunset the remaining residents and the program will close at the end of June 2025."

 

[wysdoc]

UTRGV Dean leaving UTRGV’s School of Medicine dean takes job in Tennessee

 

[wysdoc]

Professor turnover at UTRGV medical school sparks student concerns

The dean has left, as posted above.
Interim Dean is 70 years old and is a local MD who has been part of the UTRGV SOM hierarchy; I am not sure if he is still in active practice.
None of the academic pediatric faculty have had their contracts renewed for the upcoming school year. In a region of Texas with the youngest families and the highest birth rate, this seems outrageously blind to the needs and realities of the community.

 

[Goro]

Professor turnover at UTRGV medical school sparks student concerns

The dean has left, as posted above.
Interim Dean is 70 years old and is a local MD who has been part of the UTRGV SOM hierarchy; it is difficult to determine if he is still actively seeing patients.
None of the academic pediatric faculty have had their contracts renewed for the upcoming school year. In a region of Texas with the youngest families and the highest birth rate, this seems outrageously blind to the needs and realities of the community.

Is all this going to get on the radar of LCME???

 

[wysdoc]

Is all this going to get on the radar of LCME???

It should but I don’t know when their next inspection is due

 

[WildWing]

Based on this - Accredited U.S. Programs | LCME - their survey should have been done this school year.

 

[wysdoc]

Former UTRGV Pediatrics faculty gives her point of view

The only response from UTRGV so far has been in this article, from their Interim director of news & media relations

 

[Goro]

LCME, you're needed!

 

[wysdoc]

A second article published this week about the new Driscoll Children's Hospital in Edinburg TX suggests that "discussions are underway" to have this hospital as a rotation site for pediatrics. That would definitely help, but there is no indication that they would form an agreement with UTRGV med school.

Driscoll Health is a separate entity from UTRGV and until now has had outpatient clinics only in this region, staffed by specialists from other Driscoll locations on a part-time basis.
Driscoll Children's Hospital RGV

 

[LizzyM]

Proposed cuts to Medicaid could have a profound effect on pediatric departments and faculty members' income. That could be driving the contract renewal process.