Welcome to UTMB Health’s Family Medicine Residency Program

Thank you for your interest in the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) Family Medicine Residency Program. UTMB is part of the University of Texas System and is located in Galveston, Texas. The Department of Family Medicine at UTMB was established in 1971. It was the first academic department of Family Medicine in the state of Texas. The Department of Family Medicine is chaired by Dr. Kendall M. Campbell. 

The residency program has graduated over 420 residents since accepting the first trainees in 1971.

The program is structured as a 12-12-12 program accredited by the ACGME, for a total of 36 residents in training annually. 

Program Highlights Lifestyle Medicine Residency Curriculum

  • Exceptional Board Pass Rate
  • Fellowship Match high rate of matches into fellowships. Fellowships include: Emergency Medicine, Sports Medicine, Geriatrics, Integrative Medicine, Palliative Care and Primary Care Dermatology, Obstetrical Surgery
  • Longitudinal tracks: Lifestyle Medicine (see below), Sports Medicine, Medical Spanish and Hospital Medicine
  • Immersion Programs: Faculty Development, OB/Women's Health, Integrative Medicine and Geriatrics
  • Point Of Care Ultrasound Training: A part of our curriculum incorporates the utilization of the portable ultrasound technology 
  • Essentials - 1st year interns receive a 4-week orientation block prior to starting rotations
  • Behavioral Medicine - 2nd year rotation that specializes in mastery of the art and science of behavioral medicine to strengthen physicians’ ability to engage and activate patients in lasting lifestyle changes, as well as enhance physicians’ own well-being and joy of practice
  • Board Prep - in your 3rd year you'll receive a dedicated board review rotation helping you to pass your boards
  • UWorld is free to all residents, for all three years of training, to assist in preparing for ITE Exams, USMLE Step 3 and ABFM Board Exams
  • Practice Management – intensive practice management longitudinal curriculum with focused rotation in the third year to prepare each resident for the real world and the business of medicine
  • Integrative Medicine - dedicated faculty that put the patients at the center of their care and address a full range of physical, emotional, mental, social, spiritual and environmental influences
  • Procedure Rotation - 4 weeks dedicated to multiple procedural experiences
  • Lifestyle Medicine Curriculum - We prepare residents to make evidence-based, lifestyle behavior interventions through the Lifestyle Medicine Residency Curriculum 
    • Comprehensive, applicable, and flexible curriculum.  
    • Upon completion of both the educational and practicum components of the curriculum, residents qualify to sit for the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine certification exam. 


Other Key Features of Our Program:

  • Community Medicine – valued component of our program that enables integration of the concepts of community health, advocacy and intervention in practice and in collaboration with local community organizations
  • We offer a large number of electives
  • Scholarly Activity - Structured 3 years of scholarly activity for excellent chances to be published in journals and attend various conferences relevant to interest. 
  • Patient-Centered Medical Home Approach – clinical and didactic teaching focused on providing integrated, coordinated, comprehensive, and accessible health care for our patients, families, and community
  • Campus-wide integrated EMR (Epic)


We believe that the rich academic environment of UTMB will afford motivated and dedicated residents incredible opportunities to become true physicians of excellence, providing the best care to our patients and our communities. We thank you for your interest. 

Please come and visit us!




Department of Family Medicine
& Community Health
University of Texas Medical Branch
301 University Boulevard
Galveston, Texas 77555-1123

(409) 747-8593

famresid@utmb.edu

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Portrait of Ernst  Nicanord, MD
Phone: 281-614-1256
Fax: 281-614--1587
Mailing Address:
301 University Blvd
Galveston, TX 77555-1123

Ernst Nicanord, MD

Assistant Professor
Director, Family Medicine & Community Health Residency Program
UTMB Health
Family Medicine & Community Health

About Me

Dr. Nicanord joined The UTMB Health Department of Family Medicine & Community Health in 2017.  Dr. Nicanord earned a Bachelors of Science in Biology from the Oakwood University in Huntsville, Alabama, and a Doctorate of Medicine from Ross University School of Medicine in Dominica.  Dr. Nicanord graduated from the UTMB Family Medicine Residency Program and continued his training by earning a fellowship in Geriatrics, also at UTMB. 

Dr. Nicanord currently serves the Department of Family Medicine & Community Health as a faculty physician and Director of the Family Medicine Residency Program

Dr. Nicanord is a board-certified family physician and lifestyle medicine specialist whose clinical, educational, and scholarly work is rooted in advancing whole-person, prevention-focused care. With formal training in geriatrics, addiction medicine, and lifestyle medicine, he is committed to integrating evidence‑based lifestyle medicine principles into population health, community medicine, and residency education to improve long-term health outcomes. His work reflects a strong dedication to caring for patients with substance use disorders through comprehensive, stigma‑reducing, and primary‑care–based approaches, supported by his clinical service, didactic teaching, and ongoing research in addiction, chronic disease, and health systems innovation. Through his leadership roles, teaching activities, and community engagement, Dr. Nicanord strives to prepare future physicians to deliver equitable, compassionate, and prevention‑oriented care across diverse populations.

He currently sees patients at the Family Medicine Clinic - Dickinson in Dickinson, Texas 

Education

Doctorate of Medicine from Ross University School of Medicine in Dominica
Family Medicine Residency training at UTMB Health
Fellowship in Geriatrics at UTMB Health

Research

Publications

Phone: 281-614-1256
Fax: 281-614--1587
Mailing Address:
301 University Blvd
Galveston, TX 77555-1123
Portrait of Ernst  Nicanord, MD
Phone: 281-614-1256
Fax: 281-614--1587
Mailing Address:
301 University Blvd
Galveston, TX 77555-1123

Ernst Nicanord, MD

Assistant Professor
Director, Family Medicine & Community Health Residency Program
UTMB Health
Family Medicine & Community Health

About Me

Dr. Nicanord joined The UTMB Health Department of Family Medicine & Community Health in 2017.  Dr. Nicanord earned a Bachelors of Science in Biology from the Oakwood University in Huntsville, Alabama, and a Doctorate of Medicine from Ross University School of Medicine in Dominica.  Dr. Nicanord graduated from the UTMB Family Medicine Residency Program and continued his training by earning a fellowship in Geriatrics, also at UTMB. 

Dr. Nicanord currently serves the Department of Family Medicine & Community Health as a faculty physician and Director of the Family Medicine Residency Program

Dr. Nicanord is a board-certified family physician and lifestyle medicine specialist whose clinical, educational, and scholarly work is rooted in advancing whole-person, prevention-focused care. With formal training in geriatrics, addiction medicine, and lifestyle medicine, he is committed to integrating evidence‑based lifestyle medicine principles into population health, community medicine, and residency education to improve long-term health outcomes. His work reflects a strong dedication to caring for patients with substance use disorders through comprehensive, stigma‑reducing, and primary‑care–based approaches, supported by his clinical service, didactic teaching, and ongoing research in addiction, chronic disease, and health systems innovation. Through his leadership roles, teaching activities, and community engagement, Dr. Nicanord strives to prepare future physicians to deliver equitable, compassionate, and prevention‑oriented care across diverse populations.

He currently sees patients at the Family Medicine Clinic - Dickinson in Dickinson, Texas 

Education

Doctorate of Medicine from Ross University School of Medicine in Dominica
Family Medicine Residency training at UTMB Health
Fellowship in Geriatrics at UTMB Health

Research

Publications

Phone: 281-614-1256
Fax: 281-614--1587
Mailing Address:
301 University Blvd
Galveston, TX 77555-1123