Officials from Texas A&M University Naresh K. Vashisht College of Medicine in College Station and University Health today signed an affiliation agreement, officially solidifying a partnership aimed at training and retaining more physicians to care for Bexar County and South Texas’ rapidly growing population. The signing event was held at Texas A&M University-San Antonio (TAMUSA), which will provide classroom and office space as part of a broader collaboration.
The Texas A&M University System Chancellor, Glenn Hegar, emphasized the importance of the collaboration. “This partnership reflects the strength of the Texas A&M University System working together with leading health care partners like University Health to meet the needs of our state. By expanding medical education and clinical training opportunities in San Antonio, we are preparing the next generation of physicians while strengthening access to care for communities across South Texas.”
Through this new partnership, Texas A&M faculty physicians will begin providing care to patients at University Health Palo Alto Hospital in the fall of 2027. At the same time, the Texas A&M Vashisht College of Medicine students will begin clinical rotations at Palo Alto and other clinical sites across the community. While medical students do not independently diagnose or treat patients, clinical rotations provide invaluable, firsthand experiences as part of a medical team. Plans also include physician residency programs in family medicine and internal medicine, with potential for further expansion.
“We are thrilled to partner with University Health to offer integrated educational and patient care. Our commitment to advancing medicine is bolstered by this collaboration with a top health care provider in one of the fastest growing and most dynamic cities in Texas,” said Amy L. Waer, MD, Jean and Tom McMullin Endowed Dean of the Vashisht College of Medicine.
Dr. Waer said the partnership, which expands the College’s presence in San Antonio, is important because Texas A&M physicians will both practice at the hospital and also train the future generations of much-needed doctors for the community and region. In addition, it will further enhance existing strong partnerships with the military at Brooke Army Medical Center and the Veterans Administration in San Antonio, greatly expanding practice locations for Texas A&M physicians in the city and beyond.
“San Antonio is rising as a premier hub for health care and education, and this affiliation accelerates that momentum. By training tomorrow’s A&M doctors here in the community, Texas A&M and University Health are investing in better health and the long‑term economic strength of South Texas”, said John Bellinger, a San Antonio native and Texas A&M University System Regent.
The partnership is part of a three-way agreement launched in 2022. TAMUSA, located across the street from University Health Palo Alto Hospital, will provide space for Vashisht College of Medicine students, faculty and staff in their new Public Health and Education building. The new building is set to open in Fall 2026.
“Having a world-class hospital open steps from our campus is an incredible milestone for our community,” said TAMUSA President Dr. Hector Ochoa. “We are excited about the possibilities this partnership brings for future biomedical sciences and other health-related programs at the University, as our students will get to learn from some of the most talented physicians and future physicians.”
“Providing more opportunities for the best and brightest to train as physicians, and in other much-needed health care professions, is one of our highest priorities,” said University Health President and CEO Edward Banos.
When it opens next year, Palo Alto Hospital will provide hospital and emergency care closer to home for thousands of south side residents. “We are growing rapidly to meet the needs of our community today and into the future, and this affiliation is a strategic step in this plan,” added Bexar County Hospital District Board of Managers Chair Jimmy Hasslocher.
The agreement complements University Health’s longstanding affiliation with the UT Health San Antonio Long School of Medicine and more recent affiliation with the University of the Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine. It will also significantly elevate San Antonio’s standing as a premier destination for advanced medical care, innovation and discovery.
“Health care is already one of the top drivers of our local economy and this new partnership paves the way for us to join an elite group of cities in the U.S. with three medical schools,” said Banos. “We enthusiastically welcome future generations of ‘Aggie docs’ to San Antonio for training, and we hope they stay here to build their practices and serve our community with great skill and compassion.”