Family Physician Residency Program Coming to Roseburg

Recruiting and retaining family doctors is one of the biggest challenges rural areas face when seeking to provide adequate health care to a community. Douglas County is no exception. But the area could be getting a big boost with the coming arrival of a Family Physician residency program. The Roseburg Family Medicine Residency will introduce eight family physician residents to the program which begins in July. The three year program will prepare the residents to become board-certified family medicine doctors. Aviva Health will also be partnering with other local healthcare providers such as the Roseburg VA Hospital and CHI Mercy Health. Aviva Health offers integrated services from eight clinic sites including Roseburg, Myrtle Creek, Sutherlin, Glide and North Douglas County (Drain), including a Teen Health Center located on the campus of Roseburg High School. The hope is that the residency will help stabilize the supply of Doctors for the most needy in the community. Aviva Health is an independent, board-governed, not-for-profit organization providing high-quality, patient-centered, accessible and affordable medical, dental and behavioral healthcare, regardless of their ability to pay. The Residency is led by Director Dr. Chip Taylor who is continuing to add to the solid core of faculty. “We have some pretty unique experiences planned.” Taylor said. Residents will take part in rotations at the Veterans Affairs hospital during their second and third years in the program. They will also have rotations in general surgery and at the Mercy Hospital but the “heart and soul” will be at the outpatient clinic. The goal of the program is to retain the residents locally once they become primary care providers to help fill the primary care provider shortage. With over 600 applicants, the program interviewed 86 candidates. Dr. Taylor, Dr. Beery and Desiree Inglis headed the selection committee. Inglis, the Residency Operations Director, made sure all of the details in the interview process were sorted out. From booking hotel rooms for the applicants, dropping off welcome bags, making dinner reservations to finalizing the agenda. She made sure the selection committee stayed on track when they interviewed eight candidates in one day. “There is a LOT that goes into ensuring an interview day goes smoothly for all those involved.” Inglis said The program will increase local access to family physicians, help with avoidance of ER visits, along with retaining more services in Roseburg. The first 8 residents will be selected within a month and will be moving to the area sometime before the program beings in July. For more information about the residency program you can visit http://aviva.health/rfmr-index/ This story written by Ryan Finlay and Josh Gaunt