UT Health San Antonio announces $6.5 million gift to strengthen pediatric health workforce through new Harvey E. Najim Pediatric Health Scholars Program

SAN ANTONIO, March 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- UT Health San Antonio, the academic health center of The University of Texas at San Antonio (UT San Antonio), has announced a $6.5 million gift from San Antonio philanthropist Harvey E. Najim to establish the Harvey E. Najim Pediatric Health Scholars Program to support future pediatric-focused professionals in dentistry, medicine and nursing in San Antonio and the surrounding region.

The Harvey E. Najim Pediatric Health Scholars Program will ease financial barriers during training, and will help attract and retain exceptional healthcare talent, expand access to pediatric specialty care and create lasting impact for children and their families in the San Antonio community.

The Najim Pediatric Health Scholars Program will support education and advanced training for 36 pediatric dental residents, 24 pediatric medical subspecialists and 32 pediatric nurse practitioners, expanding the pipeline of highly trained clinicians prepared to serve children and families in high-need communities. In addition, the program will fund three scholarships annually, one each in dentistry, medicine and nursing for students engaged in community service.

"A strong health workforce begins with meaningful, hands-on education," said Najim. "Through specialized training, the Pediatric Health Scholars Program prepares students to care for children while helping meet the growing pediatric health needs across our region. By strengthening the pipeline of skilled, compassionate healthcare professionals, the program supports lasting improvements in children's health outcomes."

Najim has a long history of support, commitment and volunteer leadership with UT San Antonio, demonstrated through the establishment of the Najim Center for Innovation and Career Advancement, support of UTSA Athletics, giving toward student success initiatives and a long-term commitment to meeting students' basic needs through the Roadrunner Food Pantry.

"Harvey has always believed deeply in empowering young people to thrive through education," said President Taylor Eighmy. "His incredible generosity — now expanded to support pediatric health scholars — will have a significant impact in so many lives. We are deeply grateful for the passion and care he shows our students who will go on to care for the children throughout our community. There is no more powerful gift than to invest in the education of pediatric health care providers."

By strengthening the pediatric workforce pipeline at UT Health San Antonio, the program is designed to expand access to timely, high-quality care for children and families in Bexar County, especially for low-income and uninsured families. The program will also increase the number of trainees entering pediatric-focused specialty pathways and strengthen recruitment into high-need pediatric disciplines.

"Harvey Najim's generosity reflects a deep commitment to improving the health and well-being of children and families — they are our future," said Francisco Cigarroa, MD, senior executive vice president for health affairs and health system. "This gift allows us to invest where it matters most, supporting the next generation of pediatric specialists who will care for our communities for decades to come. This transformational and innovative gift will make our children's lives healthier and it will save lives."

Across Texas, and especially in South Texas, shortages of pediatric dentists, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric nurse practitioners can delay care and place additional strain on families. The Harvey E. Najim Pediatric Health Scholars Program will directly address this challenge by providing competitive, merit-based support to residents, fellows and advanced-practice nursing students during critical training years, when educational debt and lower compensation can discourage pediatric specialization.

"The Harvey E. Najim Pediatric Health Scholars Program is a transformational investment in children's health," said Robert Hromas, MD, FACP, professor and dean of the Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine. "By supporting trainees in pediatric subspecialties, we are expanding access to expert care and strengthening the future of health for families across South Texas." 

According to the leading health policy organization in the U.S., KFF — formerly the Kaiser Family Foundation — over 13% of Texas children were uninsured in 2024.

"Advanced Practice Registered Nurses help fill a need in the community to deliver pediatric primary care services to our most vulnerable children in Bexar County," said Sonya R. Hardin, PhD, RN, APRN-BC, FAAN, dean of the School of Nursing. "This generous support removes barriers for nurses dedicated to pediatrict care, directly addressing the vital workforce needs for primary care across South Texas that helps change the lives of children."

According to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and analyses of Graduate Medical Education outcomes, 58.9% of physicians who completed residency or fellowship training (GME) in Texas remained in Texas to practice, and retention increased to 86.2% among those who completed both medical school and GME in Texas between 2000 and 2019.

UT Health San Antonio's workforce outcomes indicate that 94% of nursing (BSN) graduates, 88% of doctoral-level nursing graduates, and 64% of dental graduates remain in Texas following completion of their training. This data demonstrates that investing in Texas-based pediatric specialty training will be a proven workforce strategy for the San Antonio region.

"This important investment expands opportunities for our pediatric dentistry residents who face significant financial pressures," said Kenneth Hargreaves, DDS, PhD, professor and dean of the School of Dentistry. "By supporting residents during the critical years of advanced education and training, we are strengthening the pipeline of pediatric oral health specialists and ensuring greater access to high-quality care for children across San Antonio and South Texas."

Financial support through the Harvey E. Najim Pediatric Health Scholars program will enable the most promising candidates to train at UT Health San Antonio, strengthen the pediatric health workforce pipeline across dentistry, medicine, and nursing and measurably increase the likelihood that pediatric specialists will build long-term careers in San Antonio and surrounding communities.

Over time, graduates of the Harvey E. Najim Pediatric Health Scholars Program are expected to care for hundreds of thousands of pediatric patients across their professional careers, multiplying the impact of this philanthropic investment across generations.

UT Health San Antonio is the academic health center of The University of Texas at San Antonio (UT San Antonio), offering a comprehensive network of inpatient and outpatient care facilities staffed by more than 1,500 providers including medical, dental, nursing and allied health professionals who conduct more than 2.5 million patient visits each year. It is the region's only academic health center and one of the nation's leading health sciences institutions, supported by the schools of medicine, nursing, dentistry, health professions, graduate biomedical sciences and public health that are leading change and advancing fields throughout South Texas and the world. To learn about the many ways "We make lives better®," visit UTHealthSA.org.

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SOURCE UT Health San Antonio