March 19, 2024 — On July 1, 21 new physicians will begin their residency training at Lee Health through one of two Florida State University College of Medicine residency programs, 12 in internal medicine and nine in family medicine.
After graduating from either an allopathic medical school, which awards an M.D. degree, or an osteopathic medical school, which awards a D.O. degree, physicians are required to complete residency training in their chosen specialty to practice medicine independently. These new resident physicians were selected after a rigorous vetting and interview process from 5,733 applications received from graduating medical students and physicians from around the world.
This marks the third class for the internal medicine residency program, which is based at Cape Coral Hospital and accepts 12 new doctors each year for three years of training. The family medicine residency program, based at Lee Memorial Hospital, accepts nine new doctors each year and is also a three-year program.
“We are pleased to welcome another diverse group of internal medicine residents from around the world to Lee Health and Cape Coral Hospital,” said Maja Delibasic, M.D., program director of the internal medicine residency. “They all graduated from different medical schools from 10 countries, and we can’t wait to see what unique perspectives they’ll bring to the Southwest Florida community as they continue their medical training.”
Alfred Gitu, M.D., family medicine residency director, likewise was “thrilled to welcome the next class of family medicine residents to Southwest Florida.”
“Our residency program continutes to be a top choice among graduating medical students from around the world,” he said, “and we are excited that our residents choose to stay here in Southwest Florida to continue serving patients in our community.”
The National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) announced 2024 as another record-breaking year with 50,413 applicants registered in the match, an all-time high in the program’s 70-year history. The rise in applicants was driven largely by an increase of 1,986 non-U.S. citizen international medical graduates (IMGs) and 623 osteopathic (D.O.) fourth-year students over last year, according to the NRMP.
Lee Health launched the family medicine residency program in 2012 to address the shortage of primary care physicians in Southwest Florida. The internal residency program was launched in 2022. Eight residents graduated last year from Lee Health’s family medicine program and half of them remained in Southwest Florida to practice. The internal medicine residency program will graduate its first class in 2025.
The new residents were announced at the annual Match Day celebration on Friday, March 15. At noon Eastern time on the third Friday in March each year, graduating medical students across the United States are allowed to open their envelopes, learning where they “matched” for residency. The new residents at Lee Health:
Internal Medicine:
- Peter Aceto, D.O., Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine, Dothan, Ala.
- Aybike Atak, M.D., Baskent Üniversitesi Tip Fakültesi, Turkey
- Kimerlee Beans, M.D., St. George’s University, Grenada
- Marco Calle Prado, M.D., Universidad Católica de Guayaquil Facultad, Ecuador
- Claudiu Ciuciureanu, M.D., Universitatea de Medicin i Farmacie Carol Davila, Romania
- Osama El Aryan, D.O., Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Iowa
- Caroline Fretter, M.D., Universität zu Köln Medizinische Fakultät, Germany
- Alonso Garro, M.D., Universidad Científica del Sur Facultad de Medicina Humana, Peru
- Shajetha Iyathurai, M.D., American University of Antigua College of Medicine
- Berniece Johnson, M.D., Ross University College of Medicine, Barbados
- Arseni Khorochkov, M.D., Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland
- Lane Sager, D.O., Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Family Medicine:
- Hannah Ammari, D.O., Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Lynchburg, Va.
- Majed Ammari, .DO., Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Lynchburg, Va.
- Nirupam Duggirala, M.D., Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital, India
- Gabriela Elias, M.D., St. George’s University of Medicine, Grenada
- Yasmin Garcia, M.D., Ponce Health Sciences University School of Medicine, Puerto Rico
- Mario Jacome, D.O., Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
- Eve Reid, M.D., Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine, Dothan
- Anthony Whyte, M.D., St. George’s University of Medicine, Grenada
- Lathem Wojno, M.D., Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit
About Lee Health
Since the opening of the first hospital in 1916, Lee Health has been a health care leader in Southwest Florida, constantly evolving to meet the needs of the community. A non-profit, integrated health care services organization, Lee Health is committed to the well-being of every individual served, focused on healthy living and maintaining good health. Health care services are conveniently located throughout the community in four acute care hospitals, two specialty hospitals, outpatient centers, walk-in medical centers, primary care and specialty physician practices and other services across the continuum of care. Learn more at www.LeeHealth.org.
