Talks underway to find medical school partner for DHR's Starr County residency program

RIO GRANDE CITY, Texas - When, last fall, DHR Health announced it was ending its affiliation agreement with UT-Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine, there was concern in Starr County.That is because county leaders were eagerly anticipating a residency program DHR had promised. A medical residency is the period of training a doctor undertakes after completing studies at a medical school. If UTRGV SOM was not going to be the medical school DHR worked with, who was? A physician affiliated with DHR may have given the people of Starr County a clue. In a video interview that aired during the Rio Grande City Mayor Joel Villarreal’s 2023 State of the City Address, Dr. Gauri G. Kanhere spoke about the DHR residency program.Asked which medical school the DHR residency program will be affiliated with, Kanhere said: “So there are conversations going on with Baylor University as well as with Texas A&M, and there's definitely going to be some kind of in affiliation with a university program.”Dr. Kanhere, is an internist with her own practice in Rio Grande City. She also works at Starr County Memorial Hospital. Kanhere received her medical degree from B.J. Medical College at the University of Pune in India. She has been in practice for more than 20 years.Kanhere was interviewed by Becky Rubio, a hospitality professional for Rio Grande City CISD. Kanhere said told Rubio that a DHR residency program would be an exciting proposition for Starr County. She said there would be three new doctors coming to the county each year for a three-year residency.“It's a three-year program in family medicine and internal medicine, which will translate into 24 doctors every three years,” Kanhere said. “At any given time, there's going to be physicians that are going to be in the clinics, physicians that are going to be in the hospital. So it is definitely going to help boost health care.”Editor's Note: To read the full story go to www.riograndeguardian.com. Go to www.riograndeguardian.com to read the latest border news stories and watch the latest news videos.