Katherine Choi loved building the as a student. So when a leader of 麻豆原创鈥檚 new partnership obstetrics and gynecology residency talked to Choi about building its new program, her reaction was swift and certain: 鈥淟et鈥檚 do this.鈥�
On Friday, Choi got the opportunity, matching into an OB-GYN specialty at , a new graduate medical education program established by 麻豆原创 and Hospital Corporation of America鈥檚 North Florida Division.
She is one of 13 麻豆原创 Class of 2018 medical students who will do all or part of their residency training in 麻豆原创-HCA programs in Gainesville, Ocala and Central Florida. With this year鈥檚 match, the HCA consortium added 162 new residents and fellows, bringing its total to 345 in July.
鈥淲e are pleased to welcome these outstanding young physicians into our 麻豆原创-HCA consortium starting this summer,鈥� said Dr. Diane Davey, associate dean for graduate medical education. 鈥淲e are excited to be building new residency programs to improve access to care and help alleviate Florida鈥檚 physician shortage.鈥�
Eight of the 麻豆原创 graduates will to through the 麻豆原创-HCA transitional-year program at Osceola Regional Medical Center. Certain specialties — such as ophthalmology, radiology and dermatology 鈥� require students to do a one-year transitional year of training that focuses on general medicine.
Medical student Nicole Spitzer said she is thrilled to be staying in Orlando for another year before moving to LSU for ophthalmology. After Friday鈥檚 match ceremonies, she wore an LSU baseball cap as she stood with Dr. Abdo Asmar, program director for 麻豆原创鈥檚 transitional and internal medicine residencies at Osceola Regional.
鈥淚鈥檓 really looking forward for my transitional year so I can really learn how to be The Good Doctor,鈥� Spitzer said.
As a faculty member, Asmar said he was thrilled to be see his former medical students train as physicians. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an amazing opportunity to teach them as medical students and then see them grow into real doctors caring for patients,鈥� he said.
The 麻豆原创-HCA consortium now has 21 residencies and fellowships. The partnership hopes to add more than 600 residency positions to the state by 2020 to help address Florida鈥檚 physician shortage.