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Family, friends and colleagues recently gathered at Lakeside Medical Center to celebrate the graduation of three residents from its Family Medicine Residency Program. Richard Roche, Hospital Administrator and Chief Administrative Officer with the Health Care District of Palm Beach County welcomed the more than 60 attendees. This is the fifth class of residents to graduate from the program, which was established at the acute-care facility in 2011 and is one of the few of its kind to focus on the special health care needs of rural, underserved areas.
“The patient-to-primary care physician ratio in rural areas is only 39.8 physicians per 100,000 people, significantly lower than 53.3 physicians per 100,000 people in urban areas,” said Darcy J. Davis, Chief Executive Officer of the Health Care District of Palm Beach County, in a video address played at the event. “This unmet need and its impact on health is part of what makes the achievement of our three graduating residents so important.”
The three graduates, Samantha Choudhury, D.O., Elisa Diaz, D.O., and Justin Morgan, D.O., completed a rigorous three-year curriculum that included rotations in emergency medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, geriatrics, general surgery, internal medicine, community and sports medicine, cardiology, dermatology, women’s health, radiology, orthopedics, ENT, urology, ophthalmology and critical care.
“When we were in medical school we all wanted to help people, save lives, and truly make a difference,” said Justin Morgan, D.O., Co-Chief Resident. “Lakeside Medical Center has provided these opportunities, and so much more. I feel as though I have been a part something bigger. I’ve had the privilege to care for those in need while learning invaluable skills that will serve countless others, and for that I have nothing but gratitude to all those who have taught me.”
“It was the best of both worlds, a small program with lots of opportunities,” said Samantha Choudhury, Co-Chief Resident. “I’m from Palm Beach County, so I loved that I was able to serve those in need from my community.”
“I think it has been a good experience,” said Elisa Diaz, D.O. “For me the highlights would be the outpatient family medicine clinic, the mentorship of the preceptors, the varied patient population, and just doing hands-on outpatient care which I enjoy.”
Lakeside Medical Center, which is accredited by The Joint Commission and owned and operated by the Health Care District of Palm Beach County, is the program’s primary clinical training site.
