Graduate Medical Education and Continuity Clinics Bridge Gaps in Care
January 23, 2025
As Aiken and surrounding communities grow, Aiken Regional Medical Centers and Aiken Physicians Alliance are dedicated to the advancement of quality healthcare. The Internal Medicine and Family Medicine Residency Continuity Clinics underscore this commitment. Physician residents working in the clinics are participants in the three-year ACGME* accredited Graduate Medical Education (GME) programs at Aiken Regional. While under close supervision of core medical faculty, the residents offer evidence-based, patient-centered and compassionate care at both the clinics and Aiken Regional.
Training for exceptional physicians
The focus of the program is to train the next generation of exceptional physicians who will then decide to set down roots and continue to practice medicine in Aiken and surrounding communities. According to the American Medical Association, about 64 percent of primary care residents continue to practice in the same state in which they were trained.
“Our physician residents are among the brightest and come from diverse backgrounds. Some include international medical school graduates. Our residents work extremely hard to get into our program,” says Marc Brickman, DO, FACP, Core Faculty with the Internal Medicine Residency Program. “A unique mentorship is fostered between the faculty and residents, helping the residents to learn by example and build relationships. They have opportunities to work on quality improvement initiatives and clinical research and to gain an understanding of the business perspective of medicine,” Dr. Brickman adds. “In addition to seeing patients, the residents learn how to perform a wide range of procedures. By the time they finish our program, they will become board certified in their select specialty upon successful completion of the American Board of Medical Specialties Certification.”
Bridging gaps in care
The partnership between Aiken Regional and Aiken Physicians Alliance is key to the continuity of care model, according to Dr. Brickman. Patients see the resident doctors in the hospital and then have the option to follow-up with the same doctors in the clinics upon discharge.
“Our patients are seeing these physicians much more frequently than subspecialists or hospitalists. The clinics also provide an extra safety net for patients who do not already have an established relationship with a primary care provider. I also believe that patients can expect better care from a teaching hospital. There are more clinicians involved and more eyes on the patient, providing input and making sure everything goes as it should for the patient,” adds Dr. Brickman. “It’s imperative that we have this educational program in place to help retain the best primary care physicians for the families in our communities,” says Dr. Brickman.
Physicians are accepting new patients, and same-day appointments are available for sick visits and urgent care needs.
For appointments at the Family Medicine Residency Clinic, call 803-306-7733.
For appointments at the Internal Medicine Residency Clinic, call 803-599-8599.
Family and Internal Medicine Residency Programs
Prospective residents can learn more about our program here →
Marc Brickman, DO, FACP
Dr. Marc Brickman is a Core Faculty Member of the Internal Medicine Residency Program. He is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and a Fellow of the American College of Physicians. He has held faculty appointments at Northwestern University School of Medicine and Dartmouth Medical School. His clinical interests include lipidology, diabetes and rheumatology. Dr. Brickman earned his medical degree at Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine in Chicago, Illinois. He completed an internal medicine residency at Northwestern University and then served as chief resident at Evanston Northwestern Healthcare in Evanston, Illinois.