Primary Care Residents Enhance Access to Care

Graduate Medical Education Program Offers Convenient, Quality Care

July 18, 2024

Aiken Regional Medical Centers is dedicated to offering convenient access to quality healthcare for the community. The hospital’s three-year ACGME* accredited Graduate Medical Education (GME) programs in both Family Medicine and Internal Medicine underscore this commitment. One of the primary goals of the programs is to advance healthcare in Aiken and surrounding areas by educating and retaining the next generation of exceptional physicians.

Under close direction of senior medical faculty, the residents of the GME program offer evidence-based, patient-centered and compassionate care for patients at Aiken Regional Medical Centers and at both the Aiken Physicians Alliance Family and Internal Medicine Continuity Clinics.  

Improving access to care

“By training physicians at Aiken Regional Medical Centers, the clinics and in community settings, our goal is to improve access to healthcare in our community long-term,” says Dr. Sireesha Vemuri-Reddy, NIPDD, FAAFP, Graduate Medical Education Designated Institutional Official at Aiken Regional Medical Centers.

“The services provided at both the hospital and clinics help to bridge gaps in care in Aiken and surrounding areas. And because the residents also care for inpatients at Aiken Regional; once discharged, these patients have an opportunity to receive follow-up services at a clinic location by the same physicians who cared for them at the hospital,” she adds. 

Continuity clinic services

Comprehensive services at the primary care continuity clinics include:

• Chronic condition management 
• Diabetes maintenance 
• Disease prevention 
• Immunizations
• Influenza, strep
• Pregnancy testing 
• Wellness checkups
• Localized ultrasound  
• Medication management
• Preoperative clearance
• Sports physicals for athletes over age 18
• Work physicals 

Excellence in medical education and community involvement

The residents also engage in a wide range of community service opportunities, making a positive impact, while also gaining a better understanding of the diverse healthcare needs and challenges faced by different populations.

“Beyond our commitment to excellence in medical education, we take great pride in actively integrating ourselves in the community we serve,” says Khalid Abusaada, MD, FACP, Internal Medicine Residency Program Director at Aiken Regional Medical Centers. “We strive to make a difference in the lives of countless patients and the community at large,” he adds.

“It is our pleasure to foster a comprehensive and dynamic training environment that equips our residents with the knowledge, skills and empathy necessary to deliver top-quality healthcare to individuals and families across diverse communities,” says Tiffani Thomas, MD, FAAFP, Family Medicine Residency Program Director at Aiken Regional Medical Centers.

*Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education