Houston Methodist has received an anonymous $10 million philanthropic commitment that will support the expansion of its academic medical program into The Woodlands. This is the first time a Texas Medical Center institution will offer a sponsored academic medical program specifically at one of its community hospitals, which will include fellowships in cardiovascular disease, orthopedic surgery, pulmonary critical care and sports medicine, among others.

 

“Building a well-rounded graduate medical education program has always been a priority for Houston Methodist,” said Timothy Boone, M.D., Ph.D., Director of the Education for the Houston Methodist Academic Institute. “By creating an academic medical campus housed at a regional hospital where patients can seek specialty care typically only offered in the Texas Medical Center, we’re extending the academic culture and patient offerings in The Woodlands beyond standard clinical care. We’ll also have the opportunity to advance scholarly activity with our faculty and staff who will be part of training these residents and fellows and to bring highly specialized offerings to a booming area of the city.”

 

Houston Methodist’s academic medical program includes more than 350 residents and fellows, receiving training in a variety of specialties. While many of these physicians-in-training often rotate to one of Houston Methodist’s eight hospitals in the Greater Houston area, those that are a part of the new academic program, expected to launch in 2024, at Houston Methodist The Woodlands, will match and serve their full time residency training in internal medicine, and potentially their fellowship training, in The Woodlands.

 

This philanthropic commitment to fellowships is the largest gift Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital, or any of the regional hospital within the Houston Methodist system, has ever received.

 

“The generosity and encouragement from this anonymous donor is a testament to the exceptional work our physicians and staff in The Woodlands provide day in and day out,” said Debra Sukin, regional senior vice president and CEO of Houston Methodist The Woodlands. “This commitment will help open multiple doors — to attract some of the best new physicians, to retain well-trained specialists who want to further their medical expertise through fellowships and hopefully want to grow their practice in a vibrant community that’s also a wonderful area to live. We’re humbled to have this support and excited about the opportunity to grow our academic medical education offerings on the north side of Houston.”

 

For more information about Houston Methodist, visit houstonmethodist.org