El Paso faces a growing health care challenge: by 2030, the region is projected to be short of more than 5,000 registered nurses, becoming the largest deficit in Texas. Occupational therapists will also be in high demand, leaving local hospitals and clinics scrambling to fill critical roles.
Into this gap steps University Medical Center (UMC) of El Paso, donating $1.5 million to the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) to expand the city’s pipeline of health care professionals. The funds will support hiring new faculty in UTEP’s College of Nursing and College of Health Sciences, enabling more students to enter these high-demand fields.
“This gift will promote the health and wellbeing of our community by creating more health care providers for our region,” said UTEP President Heather Wilson. “We’re grateful to UMC El Paso for helping us create even more highly competitive graduates and future health care leaders.”
The donation is more than financial support, it’s a reinforcement of a partnership decade in the making. Jacob Cintron, President and CEO of the El Paso County Hospital District, noted, “For decades, UMC and UTEP have shared a longstanding partnership that has resulted in generations of healthcare professionals who provide our community with outstanding care and expertise. By creating a stronger pipeline of healthcare talent through UTEP, we are investing in the long-term health of our region.”
With this investment, UTEP plans to grow its Bachelor of Science in Nursing program to over 400 graduates per year by 2028. The Doctoral of Occupational Therapy program is expected to double its cohort size in three years, creating more opportunities for students to step into vital roles in the local health care system.
“UMC El Paso has been a valued partner of UTEP for more than 35 years,” said Leslie Robbins, Ph.D., dean of the College of Nursing. “With this gift, UMC is going a step further on their commitment to our community.”
Scott Kruse, Ph.D., dean of the College of Health Sciences, added, “This region needs more health care professionals and with the help of UMC El Paso, UTEP is up for the task. I am proud that we can join forces to promote the health and wellbeing of the Paso del Norte region.”
The impact of the investment is set to grow even further through matching funding from the Paso del Norte Health Foundation, reinforcing UTEP’s role as a hub for health care education in West Texas.
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