Sept. 5, 2025 — Lee Health, in collaboration with the Florida State University College of Medicine, is proud to announce the launch of a brand-new obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN) residency program at Cape Coral Hospital.

The program will welcome six new residents each year for an intensive four-year training experience, with the first residents joining Lee Health in Summer 2026. Currently, senior medical students are applying to the program. In March 2026, the annual Match Day event will reveal which six residents will call Southwest Florida home.

Designed to meet the growing demand for women’s healthcare providers, the program aims to address the national shortage of OBGYN physicians while strengthening care in the rapidly expanding Southwest Florida region. Cape Coral Hospital will serve as the home base, with FSU College of Medicine as the official institutional sponsor.

OBGYN physicians specialize in comprehensive care for women, guiding them through pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum recovery. Residents will also receive a full scope of training focused on gynecological surgery and managing the full spectrum of reproductive health needs throughout a woman’s life.

“We are thrilled to grow and expand our residency program to include OBGYN medicine. This will help increase our services and provide more access to care for the Southwest Florida community,” said Chief Physician Executive of the Women’s Health Institute Dr. Cherrie Morris. “As we see our population rapidly continue to grow, we want to ensure all patients receive the high-quality care they’ve come to expect from Lee Health, and training the future doctors in our community is an important part of that mission.”

Medical school graduates are required to complete residency training in their chosen specialty to become independent practicing physicians. Historically, most physicians practice near where they complete their training. Training programs like this bring new doctors to our community, learning from the experience and excellence of Lee Health medical team members while also improving access to care to everyone in the community.

Lee Health’s most recent data from its family medicine and internal medicine residency programs shows that half of the graduates stay local after completing their residency.

“I am thrilled to lead this new program at Lee Health and empower the next generation of OBGYN physicians,” said Dr. Carrie Johnson, Program Director Physician of OBGYN Residency.  “Lee Health already has a compassionate and dedicated team for women’s and children’s services, and the residency program will expand on their already fantastic work. Not only will this program help address the national physician shortage, but it will also introduce new physicians and community members to Southwest Florida.”

This is the third physician residency program with Lee Health and the Florida State University College of Medicine. The family medicine residency program was established in 2011, and the internal medicine residency program in 2022.

“Our continued partnership with Lee Health is essential in our efforts to build high quality residency programs that promote academic excellence, drive enhanced quality of care and address the critical physician workforce needs of our Florida communities,” said William C. Boyer, DHSc, associate dean for Graduate Medical Education and the Designated Institutional Official for all sponsored GME programs at the College of Medicine.  

To learn more, please visit www.leehealth.org and https://med.fsu.edu/graduateMedicalEducation/home. 

 About Lee Health

Lee Health has been a cornerstone of health care in Southwest Florida since opening its first hospital in 1916. As a non-profit, integrated health system, Lee Health is dedicated to providing high-quality, compassionate care to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay. With a strong commitment to community health and wellness, Lee Health commits to evolving with the growing and changing needs of the region. The system offers comprehensive services through four acute care hospitals, Golisano Children’s Hospital, three skilled nursing locations, outpatient facilities, urgent care centers, and a wide network of primary care and specialty practices. Lee Health supports every step of the health journey, from preventive care to advanced treatment for every member of our community. Learn more at www.LeeHealth.org.