Kerrville, Texas – Texas A&M University Naresh K. Vashisht College of Medicine today announced the signing of an affiliation agreement with Peterson Health in Kerrville to expand opportunities for Aggie medical students to complete rural rotations in Kerr County as part of the college’s Rural Medicine Program. This collaboration supports the program’s vision of a future where every rural community has access to quality health care.
“Joining forces with Peterson Health strengthens our program, giving students critical exposure to what it’s like to live and work in Kerr County,” said Curtis Donaldson, executive director of the Rural Medicine Program. “We are especially excited about the opportunity for our students to rotate in multiple specialties with Peterson Health, helping them see that they can pursue their passions in medicine while still serving rural patient populations.”
Beginning in March 2026, current medical students in the Vashisht College of Medicine can complete twoto four-week rotations at Peterson Regional Medical Center and its affiliated clinics under the supervision of Peterson Health physicians who will become affiliate clinical assistant professors with the college.
“We are very excited about this partnership with Texas A&M. Peterson is uniquely qualified to give these students a taste of what practice is like in rural Texas in a setting that offers them exposure to cutting edge technology, great physician mentors, and allows us to showcase all that Kerrville has to offer. It’s a win/win for both these students and our community,” said John McDonald, President and CEO of Peterson Health.
Peterson Health will welcome its first Aggie preceptee next month when Bethany Bayer, a fourth year medical student, arrives in Kerrville to participate in clinical rotations under the supervision of Dr. Thomas Brown, general surgeon with Peterson Medical Associates. In addition to the clinical experience, a community stakeholder team will design an agenda for each rotating medical student to help them learn about life in Kerr County and envision what it would be like to practice there after residency.
The college’s collaboration with Peterson Health reflects a shared vision of building a stronger health care system that serves all Texans. Strengthening the pipeline of future rural physicians can help pave the way for a new era of medicine in rural Texas.
Learn more at medicine.tamu.edu/rural-medicine.
About the Texas A&M University Naresh K. Vashisht College of Medicine’s Rural Medicine Program: The Texas A&M University Naresh K. Vashisht College of Medicine’s Rural Medicine Program was founded in 2021 with the vision of access to quality health care for every rural Texas community. In collaboration with local hospitals, clinics and schools, the Rural Medicine Program strives to strengthen the rural physician pipeline, embrace local communities and expand health education horizons to inspire the next generation of rural medicine. The Rural Medicine Program demonstrates the college’s commitment to advancing medicine to serve the greater good, while fulfilling its land-grant mission with a communitybased model for learning. The program is part of the Texas A&M Health Rural Engagement Program, which is generously funded by the Texas Legislature.
