Gov. Abbott Announces $5.8 Million for Emergency and Trauma Care Workforce Training

AUSTIN, TX — Gov. Greg Abbott announced Tuesday that more than $5.8 million in grant funding has been awarded to graduate medical and nursing schools to expand emergency and trauma care training and strengthen Texas' healthcare workforce.

The 24 grants are being distributed through the Emergency and Trauma Care Education Partnership Program, which is administered by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

“Texas doctors and nurses ensure patients have access to lifesaving care when it matters most,” Abbott said. “This funding will expand emergency and trauma programs across the state to provide students with the education and resources they need and strengthen the Texas workforce.”

The program funds partnerships between hospitals and graduate medical programs to increase the number of physicians and nurses trained in emergency and trauma care.

“This grant program supports training for high-need specialty areas, such as emergency medicine, pediatric emergency medicine and surgical critical care,” Texas Commissioner of Higher Education Wynn Rosser said. “Having more well-trained doctors and nurses with critical care expertise will improve the wellbeing of countless Texans and broaden access to emergency medical care across our state.”

According to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, the grants support training for physician residents, fellows and registered nurses pursuing graduate degrees or certificates in emergency and trauma care specialties.

The Emergency and Trauma Care Education Partnership Program was established by the Texas Legislature in 2011 to support partnerships between hospitals and graduate medical programs aimed at increasing the number of healthcare professionals trained in emergency medicine and trauma care.