Dr. Michael Samel and Dr. Thinn Zaw represented Memorial GME Family Medicine during the Mississippi Academy of Family Physicians (MAFP) Primary Care Day at the Mississippi State Capitol on February 9, 2022.

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 Brice Wiggins of Pascagoula speak about state issues.

“It was a pleasure to meet with our state representatives and senators at the Capitol and be recognized alongside residents from all over the state. I look forward to solidifying relationships with these residents, collaborating with them to help advocate for the health and well-being of all Mississippians, and providing feedback as to how to attract medical trainees to our state,” said Dr. Samel.

Dr. Zaw shared her thoughts on the experience as well, stating “It was a great honor to be able to represent Gulfport at the Capitol. It was wonderful to have the opportunity to meet with the state legislators, to increase physicians’ presence in the Capitol, and to meet our fellow Family Medicine residents in Mississippi.”

Related organizations that joined include:

• Pediatrician members of the American Academy of Pediatrics Mississippi Chapter
• The MAFP Foundation was there to support a Smoke-Free Mississippi along with special guest Miss Mississippi Holly Brand. Brand travels the state on behalf of MAFP Foundation teaching 4th and 5th graders about the dangers of tobacco use.
• Doctors from the MS Rural Physician Scholarship Program were there showcasing the program, funded by the Mississippi Legislature since 2007.
• The Office of Mississippi Physician Workforce was on hand to promote their work on the state’s physician workforce development needs. Since its creation in 2012, OMPW has increased the number of first-year residency spots in Mississippi – outside of UMMC – from 12 to 115. OMPW has grown the number of Mississippi residency training sites from 4 to 13 with two more in development.

Dr. Samel also shared, “As for policymaking, right now there are no state senators or representatives that are physicians. It’s important for us to keep in touch with our congress members and act to advise them on what we need from the state government in order to support a high standard of care for our patients.”

Thank you for representing Memorial!

Memorial Hospital received good news Monday finalizing its new Graduate Medical Education program. To the left of the main entrance of the hospital sits a building that is now designated to the GME program.

“GME happens after physicians graduate from medical school,” said Gretchen Holmes with Memorial Hospital. “Once they graduate, they’re required to attend a residency program in order to sit for their boards.”

Holmes in charge of the program and said Memorial is the first public hospital to offer a residency program.

“Any time you bring graduate medical to a hospital, to a community, there are incredible positive outcomes,” she said.

Holmes said the physicians use this program to work closely with the most vulnerable populations and that this program will add physicians to local clinics. During the three years of the program, the practicing physicians are closely monitored, but they grow to become independent.

“At the beginning of the program, usually, they’ll go in to talk with the patient then return to communicate information back to the attending doctor,” Holmes said. They then both return to the patient and discuss the care or what the next steps will be following the doctor visit.

Most GME programs are hosted out of colleges or universities. Holmes said she is proud to be a part of this new opportunity in South Mississippi. Right now, construction is underway to have everything ready for the July 1 start date.

“You do GME because you want to hire more physicians to the area, and we know that Mississippi has a physician shortage,” Holmes said. “So this has allowed us to address that issue by bringing those who may have contact here in the area, so once they finish training possibly they want to stick around as they become involved in our communities.”

Memorial Hospital at Gulfport is looking to reach new heights in medical training. It is now developing a Graduate Medical Education program that will attract medical residents from around the country.

Doctor Gretchen Holmes came in last year to develop the infrastructure for the program and help decide what programs to implement. When approved, the GME program will begin with family medicine.

Memorial decided to move ahead with the program now because of a physician shortage. Holmes said the program has benefits to both the hospital and the community.

“On the hospital side, bringing in all these new, smart inquiring minds, makes everybody step up their game. And patients love residents because they tend to spend more time with them, they ask more questions,” said Holmes. “From the community standpoint, it’s incredibly important. Residents tend to help address a lot of the health disparities. They work with our most vulnerable populations. And that’s what’s going to happen when they come to Memorial as well.”