Corpus Christi doctor shortage worsens as 40.5% of physicians plan to retire within five years, and recruitment efforts continue to struggle.
“There’s a shortage of workforce in the community,” said Dr. Karl Serrao, President of the Nueces County Medical Society. “Attracting and keeping physicians here has been very difficult.”
Why Doctors Aren’t Staying
According to the survey, many doctors interested in Corpus Christi ultimately choose to practice elsewhere. Several factors contribute to this decision: the desire for a bigger city lifestyle, job opportunities for spouses, and concerns about local amenities like shopping, entertainment, and restaurants.
“One of the biggest reasons people don’t stay here involves opportunities for their partners and overall quality of life,” Serrao explained. Yet, there’s a silver lining. Doctors who train in Corpus Christi or who grew up locally often want to stay or return, offering hope that strategic efforts could pay off.
Graduate Medical Education: A Key Strategy
One major strategy to address the Corpus Christi doctor shortage is expanding graduate medical education (GME) programs. Becoming a doctor isn’t a quick journey — after four years of college and four years of medical school, graduates still need three to seven years of residency training.
“If we don’t have places for these students to complete their residencies, they’ll leave the state — and they usually won’t come back,” said Todd Senters, Vice President of Graduate Medical Education at HCA Gulf Coast.
Currently, Corpus Christi offers several GME programs, including residencies in pediatrics, family medicine, emergency medicine, and internal medicine. These programs attract residents from across the country, but if Corpus Christi can expand its offerings, it could retain even more young physicians and directly help ease the Corpus Christi doctor shortage.
“Our number one focus has to be training quality physicians for our community,” Senters emphasized.
Recruiting Doctors: More Than Just a Job Offer
Recruiting doctors goes beyond offering competitive salaries. Healthcare leaders work to meet all aspects of candidates’ needs, from finding job opportunities for their spouses to introducing them to local schools and real estate agents.
“We try to show them that Corpus Christi is a great place to live, raise a family, and build a career,” said Dr. Mary Dale Peterson, Executive Vice President at Driscoll Health System.
And it’s working — at least partly. Peterson noted that about 30% of the doctors visiting Corpus Christi for recruitment accept offers.
Could a Medical School Change Everything?
Some leaders believe the next big step could be establishing a medical school in Corpus Christi. As it stands, Corpus Christi is one of the largest cities in Texas without one.
“A local medical school would attract faculty and students and create a steady pipeline for new doctors,” Peterson explained.
However, the process isn’t simple. Building a medical school requires immense funding, state support, accreditation, and time. Still, leaders like Peterson and Christus Spohn President Dominic Dominguez believe it’s a conversation the community needs to have now.
Nueces County’s Push for State Support
Meanwhile, the Nueces County Hospital District actively seeks state support for recruitment incentives. Lawmakers have filed bills to create a grant program that would help recruit and retain physicians locally. Although the legislation is still pending, community leaders remain hopeful.
Beyond Doctors: Other Health Care Needs
While doctor shortages dominate headlines, the Coastal Bend also urgently needs nurses, physician assistants, respiratory technicians, and allied health professionals.
Local education partners, such as Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and Del Mar College, are training new healthcare workers to meet community needs.
“There’s a lot of opportunity for young people here if they continue their education,” Peterson added.
The Road Ahead
Solving Corpus Christi’s doctor shortage calls for expanding training, enhancing quality of life, improving recruitment, and establishing a local medical school.
Local healthcare leaders remain determined to make Corpus Christi a place where doctors and their families live, work, and thrive.