Welcome
Driscoll Children’s Hospital Rio Grande Valley, is the only ACGME accredited pediatric residency program in the Rio Grande Valley serving a population of 1.44 million based on the 2025 U.S. census data. Our area includes Hidalgo, Cameron, Starr and Willacy counties. The hospital opened its doors in 2024 and has quickly become the hospital of choice for patients in the region. Evidence of this is the need to go in just over two years, from an eight to a fifteen bed PICU unit, given the growing demand. We also have a 63-bed level 3 NICU besides general medical and surgical beds for a total of 134 licensed beds, and offer the full spectrum of pediatric services including medical and surgical subspecialists. The system also supports a busy out-patient subspecialty center with satellite clinics throughout the Rio Grande Valley.
At Driscoll Children’s Hospital RGV, residents will learn from a patient population of substantial volume with an abundance of diverse and unusual pathology. Driscoll has a commitment to strong academics and evidence-based medicine, reinforced by a warm and inviting culture.
We are fortunate to have teaching faculty who are excited to train future physician leaders. Our friendly and dedicated hospital staff including but not limited to pharmacists, dietitians, occupational, physical and speech therapists, all actively participate in our resident’s educational experiences and multidisciplinary patient rounds.
As a new program within a hospital system that does not depend on residents for service, we are excited to continue to build a program that utilizes the capabilities of each resident, both in clinical work as well as program administration, hospital partnership and community advocacy. As a health system, Driscoll is team-oriented in our advocacy, quality improvement, and research efforts, and we are excited to add residents to these efforts in the Rio Grande Valley.
We know residency is challenging—but you could not find a better opportunity to learn in a supportive environment and a state-of-the-art facility, not to mention the warm and vibrant culture and world class cuisine offered by the Rio Grande Valley. We hope you will consider joining us to build something amazing and leave a lasting legacy on Driscoll and the Rio Grande Valley. We are so excited to welcome you!
Ayesha Mirza, MD, FAAP
DCH RGV Residency Program Director