A Word from the Program Director

Welcome to the Memorial Hospital at Gulfport family medicine residency program. We are very excited about our new program starting in July 2021. I, along with my associate program director and core faculty, took advantage of designing a new program with an emphasis on resident learning, not busy work or excess hours.

Our institution gave us the full leeway and support needed to build a program dedicated to the development of quality family physicians. Here, you’ll find a program which combines the traditional institutional inpatient teaching rotations with community outreach programs. Our teaching methods are developed to be interactive and practical to maximize learning and retention. I believe we all have sat through our share of less than interesting lectures!

All residents will be completely unopposed and be expected to assume full responsibility for each patient population they encounter, whether it’s medical, pediatric, surgical or obstetric. There will be no taking a backup role. Each resident also will be expected to mentor medical and DO students. I strongly believe that teaching others makes us better physicians, leaders and individuals.

Our goal is not to churn out doctors but to develop individual physicians who are not only dedicated to their patients and their community but also have the balance needed to enjoy life outside of medicine. Physician burnout is very real in today’s medical world, and it’s imperative to give personal needs equal priority with professional goals.

I’m fairly certain we have one of the friendliest patient populations. I also believe you will find the Mississippi Gulf Coast to be a beautiful, safe and affordable place to call home for the next three years if not longer. We are large enough to be a referral center for surrounding counties yet small enough to have a strong community presence. In other words, one day you may be caring for the trauma patient with substantial surgical and medical needs while the next night be on the football field on game night as part of the medical team for one of our local high schools. This is an example of some of the thought and work that have been put into the development of this program.

Patients will come from every walk of life. We’ve developed an outpatient three-clinic family medical practice model for the specific purpose of ensuring comprehensive exposure. You will provide chronic and acute care to full medical, geriatric, pediatric and neonatal populations. Each FMP also provides office procedures on a regular basis. The goal is full-spectrum family medicine. Our patient population is incredibly diverse. Residents treat the underserved as well as the wealthy on the same day in the same clinic. Of utmost importance is promoting equal respect and care for all patients, staff and peers.

We offer a great balance between academic learning and hands-on experience. We look to attract residents who are eager to grow professionally as well as individually. Learning and self-improvement should never stop in life. The ultimate family physician blends the qualities of medical expertise, personal well-being and community leadership. This is who we look to graduate.

Dr. Dimitrios “Jimmy” Dimitriades

Program Director