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Starting July 1, four medical residency programs at Ascension Sacred Heart hospitals located in Northwest Florida will come under the oversight of Florida State University’s College of Medicine.
The residency programs encompass internal medicine and obstetrics and gynecology at Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola; pediatrics at Studer Family Children’s Hospital at Ascension Sacred Heart; and family medicine at Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast in Miramar Beach. In total, there are 90 positions available to develop upcoming physicians, with intentions to expand this figure, as well as the variety of specialties to tackle Florida’s increasing physician shortage.
“With our latest graduating cohort, we will have more than 600 physicians either practicing or completing residencies across the state, delivering vital health care services,” stated Dr. Alma Littles, dean of the College of Medicine. “We aim to enhance these figures by expanding our Graduate Medical Education (GME) program and the influence of FSU Health through collaborations with exceptional health care providers and hospitals like Ascension Sacred Heart.”
“We aim to enhance these figures by expanding our Graduate Medical Education (GME) program and the influence of FSU Health through collaborations with exceptional health care providers and hospitals like Ascension Sacred Heart.”
—Dr. Alma Littles, dean of FSU College of Medicine
The demographic surge in Florida and the increasing physician deficit are progressing so swiftly that they have garnered the attention of the Florida Legislature. In March 2024, Gov. Ron DeSantis enacted four bills, collectively termed Live Healthy. A major aspect of this legislation advocates for the increase of medical residency positions. Due to Florida’s federal designation of having a shortage of primary care physicians, Ascension Sacred Heart has secured matching funds from the federal government to bolster primary care residency initiatives.
“Establishing collaborative partnerships is crucial for advancing physician workforce development in Florida,” reported Bill Boyer, associate dean of GME and the Designated Institutional Official for all sponsored programs at the College of Medicine. “Developing a medical school and graduate medical education pipeline is not merely an investment in our future health care providers, but a promise to the health and prosperity of our communities.”
Boyer noted that preparations are already underway for a prospective residency in emergency medicine, alongside general surgery.
“In collaboration with Ascension Sacred Heart, we aspire to introduce seven to 10 more residencies and fellowships,” he mentioned.
With these recent additions, the FSU College of Medicine now oversees 13 residencies and five fellowships, including a Forensic Pathology Fellowship in Pensacola with the District One Medical Examiner’s Office.
“This new alliance with Florida State University enables us to build upon our ongoing mission to address the increasing health care demands of this region,” expressed Sacred Heart Chief Medical Officer Dr. Peter Jennings. “We are thrilled to implement new training programs as we extend our nearly 60-year legacy of preparing young physicians who graduate from our programs and pursue fulfilling careers in our communities, providing care to those we cherish.”
Statistics reveal a 75% retention rate for physicians who attend medical school and complete their residencies in Florida. According to a recent study published by the Safety Net Hospital Alliance of Florida, FSU-sponsored residency programs rank among the most sought after in Florida. The study assessed the percentage of residency slots filled by medical school graduates in 75 Florida hospitals and other health care establishments from 2020 to 2024. FSU-sponsored residency and fellowship programs achieved a match rate of 100% across all five years, a figure attained by only nine additional programs.
About Ascension Sacred Heart
Ascension Sacred Heart, headquartered in Pensacola, Florida, manages five hospitals and over 100 other care sites, employing more than 6,440 associates. In fiscal year 2024, Ascension Sacred Heart delivered more than $193 million in community benefits and care for vulnerable populations. Ascension is a faith-based health care organization committed to transformation through innovation across the health care continuum. As one of the premier non-profit and Catholic health systems in the U.S., Ascension is dedicated to providing compassionate, personalized care to everyone, with special emphasis on individuals living in poverty and the most vulnerable.
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