GEORGETOWN, SC – A new program to train family physicians has marked a milestone by welcoming its first class of residents.
The eight-member charter class of the Tidelands Health MUSC Family Medicine Residency Program is a diverse group of physicians from across the country. The new physicians began training July 3 and will participate in three years of hands-on learning under the supervision of experienced physicians from Tidelands Health and the Medical University of South Carolina.
The goal of the program is to help attract new doctors to the area because physicians tend to remain in the communities where they complete their residency. The program is part of a broader initiative within Tidelands Health to respond to the region’s rapid population growth.
“Attracting new physicians is a critical part of helping ensure the Tidelands region has access to high-quality medical care,” said Bruce Bailey, president and CEO of Tidelands Health. “We’re excited to welcome the first class of residents and look forward to the positive impact they will have on our community.”
The new residency program was developed with support from MUSC, which is providing curriculum and some faculty. Tidelands Health physicians also serve as faculty members.
The program offers residents broad-based training in family medicine with an emphasis on leadership and work-life balance. Over the next two years, the program will grow to its full complement of 24 residents with the addition of two more classes of eight students.
The new residency program is one of many ways that Tidelands Health is responding to the region’s growth.
