The St. David's Foundation says it will spend $2 million to help fund a master's of science in nursing program at the Texas State University Round Rock Campus.
The program would allow registered nurses to become certified as nurse practitioners, which means they could take on many of the responsibilities of a primary care physician.
The Association of American Medical Colleges said in a 2011 study that Texas ranks 47th nationally in the number of primary care doctors per person. The study also said that Texas ranks 2nd in retaining medical school graduates. In 2010, 61 percent of the 30,000 in-state medical school graduates remained in Texas to practice medicine.
The program will be Texas State University's first master's program in nursing.
