MetroHealth Launches New Residency Track to Focus on Primary Care for the Underserved
The MetroHealth System is launching a new track within its Internal Medicine Residency Program designed to prepare primary care physicians who are committed to caring for underserved communities and addressing the inequities that contribute to poor health outcomes.
According to the American Academy for Medical Colleges, the United States could see an estimated shortage of between 17,800 and 48,000 primary care providers by 2034. The shortage is expected to be even deeper in communities with large minority populations and high uninsured rates as well as rural communities.
Throughout the three-year program, MetroHealth’s new Primary Care of Vulnerable Populations (PCVP) track will offer resident physicians immersive training in primary care and outpatient settings. They’ll also receive extensive training on topics like the intersection of social justice and health care, population health, and advocacy.
Trainees will gain extensive experience in core and elective specialty clinics including infectious disease, LGBT health, geriatrics, psychiatry, addiction medicine, and many more. In addition, there will be ample opportunities to lead quality improvement and community service projects.
“We want graduates from this program to become well-rounded leaders in the primary care field,” said Jayne A. Barr, MD, MPH, Co-Director of the PCVP track. “Primary care physicians are important advocates for their patients, especially those who have traditionally lacked access to medical care. It’s important that the next generation of clinicians understands that good health depends on far more than what happens inside the clinic walls.”
Research shows that 80% of a person’s health is based on factors that go beyond medicine – factors often called the social determinants of health which include access to safe housing, healthy food, transportation, and job opportunities. PCVP residents will partner with local community organizations to learn how they can help meet their patients’ social needs.
“Since its founding in 1837, MetroHealth has had a deep commitment to caring for the underserved,” said James C. Pile, MD, Director, Internal Medicine Residency Program. “It’s a commitment that our faculty and staff live out every day and one that resonates in our training programs.”
To learn more about the PCVP track and how to apply, visit here.
Founded in 1837, MetroHealth is leading the way to a healthier you and a healthier community through service, teaching, discovery, and teamwork. Cuyahoga County’s public, safety-net hospital system, MetroHealth meets people where they are, providing care through five hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers. Each day, our nearly 9,000 employees focus on providing our community with equitable healthcare — through patient-focused research, access to care, and support services — that seeks to eradicate health disparities rooted in systematic barriers. For more information, visit metrohealth.org.
