Rep. Cuellar secures funding for a rural residency training program in Starr County

RIO GRANDE CITY, Texas – Congressman Henry Cuellar has announced a $749,356 federal grant to help develop a rural residency training program run by DHR Health in Starr County.

At a press conference at Starr County Memorial Hospital, Cuellar said a rural residency planning and development grant, administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), will provide funding to DHR Health over a three-year period.

Through this award, Cuellar said, DHR Health will develop and establish a family medicine – obstetrics rural residency training program with Starr County Memorial Hospital (SCMH) to train residents in rural Starr County.

He said residents will spend a majority of their time at SCMH and local physician’s offices, then the remainder of their training time at DHR Health in Edinburg, Texas. The program will train two residents per year for a total complement of six residents.

Cuellar pointed out that DHR Health is one of 15 organizations from across the nation to be awarded a Rural Residency Planning and Development Grant.

“Congratulations to DHR Health and Starr County Memorial Hospital for securing these federal dollars and bringing medical residents to South Texas. With the ever-growing need for health care professionals, this partnership will help create the next generation of doctors and expand access to health care for Starr County residents,” Cuellar said.

“In the FY24 government funding bill, I helped secure $12,700,000 for the rural residency development program within the Health Resources and Services Administration. Those funds are what created this groundbreaking partnership. In Congress, I will continue to fight for federal dollars that invest in South Texas health care.”

Starr County Judge Eloy Vera said the residents of his county “love” Congressman Cuellar because it seems that every time that he visits, he brings a check.

“Congressman, I don’t know how you do it. But we sincerely thank you for your work and your efforts and everything that you’ve done for us and in Starr County,” Vera said.

Vera said that over the last 26 years he has been fortunate to see a lot of good things happen and develop here in his county. “But I can honestly say that this is probably one of, if not the most important thing that has happened to us here in Starr County.”

Vera elaborated on this point.

“This program is so important to us because, as I’m sure most of you know, in the ratio of patients to doctors, Starr County ranks probably one of the worst in the country and certainly in the state of Texas. What we are hoping will happen with this is that some of the doctors that will go through this program will stay here in our community, they will enjoy our community, they will like the people in our community and that they will stay here.”

As for DHR, Vera said: “What can I say? You’ve been a real lifesaver.”

Dr. Jose Vasquez is president of the Starr County Memorial Hospital board of directors. He described the rural residency training program as a “significant milestone” that was “much anticipated.”

Vasquez said: “This program is stands as a testament to our unwavering faith and commitment to improve health care access and equality for all who call this region home.”

He also said it was a “groundbreaking achievement” for our rural hospital. “It does not represent just any step forward but a leap towards a future where high-quality health care is success successful toward regardless of geographical locations or race.

Vasquez said rural areas have long faced unique challenges in healthcare delivery, including shortage of medical professionals, limited access to specialized care, as well as the need for more comprehensive health care.

“The impact of this residency program on our community will be profound. The program will provide improved access to care, economic growth, improvement in health outcomes will be the initial consequences of this initial. This residency program addresses those challenges by training the next generation of healthcare providers right here in our community.

Vasquez added: “I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved. Let us continue to work hand in hand to ensure that this residency program not only meets but exceeds our expectations in transforming the healthcare landscape of our community for generations to come.”

Dr. Carlos J. Cardenas is chairman of the board and chairman of the graduate medical education committee for DHR Health.

“DHR Health is excited to be partnering with Starr County Memorial Hospital in order to establish Starr County’s first graduate medical education family medicine rural residency program. The establishment of a family residency program will help address physician shortages in Starr County, while expanding educational opportunities and increasing access to quality healthcare services. We thank Starr County for providing us with the opportunity to serve this great community, HRSA for their commitment to rural health, and to Congressman Cuellar for his support of our application,”Cardenas said.

Dr. Naomi D’Acolatse is DHR’s family medicine rural residency program director.

D’Acolatse said DHR will focus on increasing access to care, reducing social determinants of health and advancing health equity.

“Our Family Medicine Residency Program will provide a solution to the critical physician shortage in Starr County by creating a steady pipeline of physicians for the immediate and long-term health care needs of this community,” D’Acolatse said.

D’Acolatse said that during the three-year training program, medical residents will spend 51% of their time training exclusively at Starr County Memorial Hospital and affiliated clinics. She said they will later spend 49% of their time at DHR Health’s Edinburg campus where they will work directly with hospital sub specialists.

“A unique feature of the new program and one that I’m very proud of is the training emphasis on obstetrical and gynecological care,” D’Acolatse said. “This feature alone makes our program stand out.”

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