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Learn more in this interview with GME Resident Dr. Taylor Brewer.

A recent study by The Cleveland Clinic found that 65% of men said they avoid going to the doctor as long as possible. Dr. Eugide Othepa discusses the importance of having a Primary Care Physician. 

Dr. Shazzanne Pennant and Dr. Jonathan Hamilton represented Memorial GME Family Medicine during the Mississippi Academy of Family Physicians (MAFP) Primary Care Day at the Mississippi State Capitol on February 7, 2023.

Family physicians and pediatricians from all over the state participated in a morning of activities highlighting primary care on Tuesday, February 7.  Primary Care Day at the Capitol had a total of 55 attendees, including 16 residents from 6 family medicine residency programs.

Family physicians from throughout the state participated in a morning of activities, meeting with legislators to increase awareness of issues affecting family medicine. After being introduced in the House and Senate galleries, MAFP members then gathered for lunch to hear Senator Hob Bryan of Amory speak and hear updates on state issues.

Dr. Shazzanne Pennant, Memorial GME Family Medicine resident, shares, “It is important to build and maintain relationships with legislators because physicians are the advocates of their patients. As physicians, we are representatives for people in our communities and state. We all can play an essential part when it comes to laws and policies that will affect the community and public health by listening to our patients and being informed on legislation. It is vital to keep this line of communication open so that lawmakers can see how policies impact their constituents.”

Memorial GME residents prioritize community outreach and have a strong presence in the community. “Community outreach is a way of providing access to health care and resources to members of the community. It is a unique opportunity to get involved and interact with a variety of people. Participating in community outreach creates the opportunity for physicians to build relations and strong bonds in the community. For me, giving back to my community renews my sense of purpose as to why I chose to be a physician in the first place,” Dr. Pennant shares.

Thank you both for representing Memorial!

Gulfport, Miss.-based Memorial Health System was granted initial accreditation through the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education to establish its graduate medical education program in internal medicine, according to a Sept. 20 news release.

The internal medicine program aims to build healthier communities by improving care for vulnerable populations. 

“A good physician will treat the disease, but the better physician will treat the whole patient who has the disease. The Memorial Health System internal medicine residency will train our future community physicians to look at the whole patient,” said internal medicine program director Wayne Latack, MD. 

The program answers a growing call to increase residency programs in states with poor health outcomes. Mississippi currently has 40 accredited programs and 759 residents. According to the  Association of American Medical Colleges State Physician Workforce Data Report, there is a physician shortage in Mississippi. The state ranks 49th among U.S. states, with 65.9 active primary care physicians per 100,000 people.

Memorial Health System has received initial accreditation to establish its graduate medical education program in internal medicine.

GME begins after students graduate from medical school with a doctor of medicine or doctor of osteopathic medicine.

The program answers a growing call to increase residency programs in Mississippi. Right now, the state ranks 49^th for having 65.9 active primary care physicians per 100,000 people.

Applications for the program will be available online through a medical school program and Memorial will begin interviewing candidates in the coming weeks. Internal Medicine Residency Program Director Dr. Wayne Latack said, “We want to improve our community health. It’s really hard to do that when you don’t have the physicians to do that. So, this is to bring the pipeline. This is to bring in these new young minds and young doctors to train them in internal medicine.”

Residents will begin rotations on July 1^st, 2023.