Lack of hospital residencies is cited as a big reason for today’s doctor shortage. A Tallahassee hospital will soon offer residencies to medical students in the hope many of them will settle down in the Capital City, thus helping alleviate the local shortage. The initiative is being done in conjunction with the University of Central Florida, although hospital officials emphasize the program is open to students from other schools.
Capital Regional Medical Center CEO Alan Keesee said the residencies, in the fields of psychiatry and dermatology, will get underway this summer.
“All in all at the peak, when we have all three years for both programs, we’ll have over 20 residents in-house at the hospital.”
A big positive of the program, said Keesee, is that so many doctors stay after their residencies are finished.
“By training doctors here, our goal is that they find a home here long-term because they fall in love with our great community. They move here for three years and hopefully stay here permanently.”
That's especially helpful, added Keesee, because of the great need for both medical disciplines in this area.
