Naval Hospital (NH) Jacksonville’s award-winning Family Medicine Residency Program, now in its 54th year of continuous accreditation, graduated 23 physicians (11 residents and 12 interns) at a ceremony June 28 at Naval Air Station Jacksonville’s Hangar 117.
The graduation also served as a kick-off to the program’s new academic year, which began
July 1 with 15 new residents and interns.
“It is an honor for us faculty members to watch these graduates grow during the last three years. This ceremony celebrates the end of their formal training and marks the beginning of their journey as Family Medicine physicians. We are excited to see the positive impact they will make on Navy medicine and the Fleet.,” said Program Director Cmdr. Dustin Smith.
All program participants are physicians who have completed medical school. By the end of the first year, each has completed training rotations in primary and inpatient care, emergency medicine, obstetrics, pediatrics, general surgery, orthopedics, and dermatology.
“These graduates have the privilege and the honor of providing the very best care to our nation’s finest, our warfighters and their families,” said Capt. Criag Malloy, NH Jacksonville’s director and Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Jacksonville’s commanding officer.
Class chosen guest speaker Lt. Cmdr. Emily Goodwin, a current faculty member, spoke about the growth she has seen the group overcome through adversity.
“I watched you find your voices. I’ve watched you learn to lead. You’ve all taught each other and you’ve luckily shared some of that with me and faculty here along the way,” Goodwin said.
To become board certified by the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM), physicians must be licensed and successfully complete three years of residency training in a program (like NH Jacksonville’s) that’s accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. Additionally, physicians must meet all board requirements and pass the ABFM board certification exam.
Upon completion of the first year of study, some residents choose to go directly into the fleet to serve as general medical officers, flight surgeons, or undersea medical officers. Those who stay continue for two additional years of training in key areas of family medicine such as obstetrics, pediatrics, inpatient medicine, sports medicine, neurology, cardiology, mental health, trauma, and intensive care. After completion of the residency, the residents become board-certified family medicine physicians, assigned as staff ─ providing care to active duty, retirees, and families across the globe. One recent graduate expressed their excitement for their new duty station.
“I received orders for Naval Air Station Fallon in Nevada and this was my top choice because we wanted to move near the west coast,” said Lt. Chelsey Haley. “I’ll be serving as the senior medical officer, so being the chief resident helped prepare for this role.”
Naval Hospital Jacksonville and Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Jacksonville deliver health care and readiness. NH Jacksonville and its five branch health clinics serve 175,000 active duty, active duty family members, and retired service members, including 57,000 patients enrolled with a primary care manager. NMRTC Jacksonville and its five units support warfighters' medical readiness to deploy and clinicians' readiness to save lives. To learn more, visit: https://jacksonville.tricare.mil.
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Naval Hospital Jacksonville graduates family medicine physicians