Graduate Medical Expansion Grant

The Graduate Medical Expansion Grant, issued through the New Mexico Health Care Authority (HCA), is part of a broader initiative known as the Primary Care Physician Training Expansion Program. This program is authorized under House Bill 480 and further supported by a State Plan Amendment approved by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The initiative reflects New Mexico’s strategic commitment to address critical shortages in the primary care workforce, particularly in underserved and rural areas. The program is designed to fund the development and expansion of Graduate Medical Education (GME) residency programs and new training pathways in primary care disciplines. This grant provides a total of $1,000,000 to support eligible institutions in three primary focus areas: establishing new or expanding existing first-year primary care GME residency positions, sustaining current residency programs in areas with limited access or resources, and creating interdisciplinary workforce training initiatives in related primary care fields such as nursing, physician assistant studies, and dentistry. Funding may be used for residency planning, accreditation development, program launch, operational costs, and other support activities that directly align with building and sustaining primary care training capacity. Eligible applicants include licensed hospitals in New Mexico, accredited educational institutions, new or proposed standalone GME programs, training consortia, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), Rural Health Clinics (RHCs), and Independent Psychiatric Hospitals or Facilities. Residency programs must be new, existing, or planned; nationally accredited or seeking accreditation; and committed to launching or expanding first-year residency positions. Entities serving frontier or rural communities, or working with underserved populations, are especially encouraged to apply. Priority is also given to applicants showing commitment to diversity recruitment and in-state graduate retention. The application process is administered via the Submittable portal and requires submission of both an eligibility form and a full application by February 27, 2026, at 5 p.m. MST. Required components include narratives detailing program goals, accreditation timelines, sustainability strategies, and budget documentation. New applicants must submit a 20-page narrative, while current grantees may submit a condensed 10-page version. All applicants must also include a project workplan, a detailed budget, letters of commitment from institutional leadership, and accreditation documentation where applicable. Applications will be reviewed in March 2026 by HCA leadership, with contract negotiations expected to occur from April to June 2026. Funding is scheduled to begin on July 1, 2026. Successful applicants must verify filled residency positions before funds are disbursed. HCA reserves the right to retract funding in cases of non-compliance, failure to fill awarded positions, or changes in accreditation status. A final financial report is due by August 31 following the funding period. Funding cannot be used for resident positions already subsidized by federal sources or for costs unrelated to program development. Allowable costs include faculty support, recruitment, curriculum design, simulation equipment, data systems, and enhancements to electronic health records. The grant encourages interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation in training models that prepare healthcare providers for integrated, team-based care environments. It also aims to build sustainable pipelines of primary care professionals committed to serving New Mexico communities beyond the training period.