В больнице Sacred Heart Gulf открыт первый в истории резидентский program для врачей

Sacred Heart Gulf Hospital Welcomes First-Ever Class of Medical Residents GULF COUNTY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) - A major milestone for healthcare in the Florida Panhandle is officially underway as resident physicians begin clinical rotations at Ascension Sacred Heart Gulf Hospital for the very first time. The hospital launched its first-ever residency program. The initiative brings hands-on family medicine training directly into rural communities, aiming to expand access to care where patients need it most. The program operates with six residents per class, with each doctor completing a dedicated four-week rural rotation. Chief Resident Dr. Connor Smith, a third-year family medicine physician, says the program is designed to close critical local healthcare gaps. Residents will be providing care at clinics across Port St. Joe, Wewahitchka, and Apalachicola, helping connect patients with critical specialist networks. “Patients have chronic diseases that have built up for a long time. Maybe they haven’t seen their physician in a while,” said Dr. Smith. “So we have to manage those, point them in the right direction, refer them to the right people, and get them access to the network in the area. That’s a main challenge we face.” Ascension Sacred Heart Health System CEO Will Condon emphasizes that broad, versatile training is essential for family medicine doctors. He hopes this program will encourage the newly trained physicians to remain in the area long-term. “That’s really the intent of the family medicine rotation,” Condon said. “So when they get done with their three years of training, they’re ready to set up shop in Northwest Florida and take care of our community’s patients.” The first class of six residents belongs to a three-year family medicine residency program based out of Walton County. After finishing their rural rotation, the resident physicians will transition to 16 weeks of medical electives of their choice to continue building their medical expertise. To stay up to date on all the latest news as it develops, follow WJHG on Facebook, Instagram and X (Twitter). Have a news tip or see an error that needs correction? Email [email protected]. Please include the article’s headline in your message. Keep up with all the biggest headlines on the WJHG News app, and check out what’s happening outside using the WJHG Weather app. Copyright 2026 WJHG. All rights reserved.