Fightin' Texas Aggies Unite with Shannon Medical Center

SAN ANGELO, TX — Shannon Medical Center and Texas A&M School of Medicine formalized a partnership between the two organizations with the signing of an affiliation agreement to establish a Family Medicine Residency Program at Shannon. The partnership will address a critical need for primary care physicians in rural Texas communities.

The partners envision a collaboration that will accelerate the training of health care professionals, expand medical research and provide needed care to residents in West Texas. This will be the first residency program based in the Concho Valley Region.

“Through this program, we aim to create a lasting legacy that will train physicians to provide world-class healthcare for generations to come,” said Michael Wood, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Shannon Medical Center. “Residents will receive training in our state of art facilities, alongside our medical staff and specialists who represent expertise in more than 40 specialties.”

Shannon serves a 25-county area, which is equal to 10% of the state of Texas, with a population of 250,000 people. It is uniquely located to train residents with an interest in rural health.

“Some of these counties do not contain a medical provider or a clinic facility,” said Dr. Wood. “We will be able to provide these residents the unique training perspective of rural health so they are prepared to support patients of all ages in smaller communities in our region and throughout Texas.” 

Texas A&M School of Medicine received a $250,000 planning grant from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to begin the planning and development process for the Shannon Family Medicine Residency program. The Residency Program will be housed in a newly renovated space within the Shannon South Knickerbocker Clinic. It will feature a dedicated outpatient clinic as well as instructional space. The three-year program will accept its first six residents this July. Ultimately, there will be a total of 18 family medicine residents training at Shannon.

"We are excited to embark on this transformative journey with Shannon Medical Center as we strive to address the critical shortage of primary care physicians in rural Texas,” said Amy Waer, MD, FACS, MPSA, Jean and Tom McMullin Endowed Dean of the Texas A&M School of Medicine. “By establishing the Shannon Family Medicine Residency Program, we will equip future physicians with the skills and commitment needed to provide exceptional leadership and healthcare to communities across Texas."

Shannon Medical Center is the largest, locally-based health care provider for the Concho Valley and surrounding region in west Texas. Based in San Angelo, Shannon serves a 25-county region. Shannon’s clinically diverse team provides access to more than 350 providers in 40 medical specialties across 25 locations. Shannon’s services include national recognized cardiac and stroke programs with the AirMed air ambulance, a designated Level III Trauma Facility, which has been named top Trauma Facility in the state, and a designated Women’s & Children’s Hospital with a Level II Neonatal Facility.

The Texas A&M University School of Medicine is committed to providing excellence in medical education, research, and patient care. The School of Medicine boasts a tradition of military service and is dedicated to serving veterans and their unique
healthcare needs.