Residency program expands
Skagit Regional Clinics celebrates opening of Residency Clinic Skagit Regional Clinics – Residency Clinic celebrated the facility’s July opening with an open house in August, offering tours, an opportunity to meet the resident physicians and demonstrations of Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment. The Residency Clinic, where the current 13 Internal Medicine and Family Medicine residents see patients, is located at 819 S. 13th Street, Mount Vernon. “Dozens of people have been involved in our reaching this day,” said Jeanne Rupert, DO, Director of Graduate Medical Education at Skagit Regional Health. “The root of the word doctor, in Latin, means to teach. It is truly an important role of a doctor to teach: to teach their patients, to teach the community, to teach each other. This is a place to teach.” Skagit Regional Health resident physicians, or “residents,” have received their doctor of osteopathic medicine degree (DO) and are continuing training in a medical specialty. The residency program offers expanded access to primary care for patients of all ages. During the program’s first year, physician residents provided 1,836 patient visits in the clinic setting and estimates for the second year show an increase to 8,000-10,000 patient visits.
Skagit Regional Health has received approval to expand the number of residents in training in Family Medicine and Internal Medicine in the organization’s Graduate Medical Education program.
The increase was approved by the American Osteopathic Association, after certification by the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians and the American College of Osteopathic Internists.
An increase of four will bring the total to 10 new residents – six in Family Medicine and four in Internal Medicine – joining the program in July 2014. The approval boosts the overall number of residents training and seeing patients in the Residency Clinic to 22 physicians.
“This will help us to train the physicians the community needs and allow us to continue to build a strong academic program,” said Director of Graduate Medical Education Jeanne Rupert, DO.
Resident serves on board First-year Family Medicine resident David Escobar, DO, was recently appointed to the Washington Osteopathic Medical Association Board of Governors as the Postgraduate Representative. The Washington Osteopathic Medical Association is a non-profit, professional membership organization for osteopathic physicians and their patients. Dr. Escobar’s selection adds to the number of students, residents and leaders in Skagit Regional Health’s Graduate Medical Education Program to take on leadership roles. Third-year medical student Amber Sinicrope serves as the Student Trustee to the Board of Directors of
“Access to primary care is a critical component to our health care system and we now have this beautiful clinic for our residents to treat our patients” said Chief Executive Officer Gregg Davidson. “This is a great day for medicine in our region. We couldn’t be more proud.” For information about SRC – Residency Clinic, please call 360-814-6230.
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Skagit regional health
the Washington Academy of Family Physicians. She follows Jordan Collier, now a fourth-year student at Skagit, who served in that position for the previous year. Thomas Carmine Van Deven, DO, a Family Medicine resident at Skagit Regional Health, is serving as the Resident Trustee on the WAFP Board. Jeanne Rupert, DO, Director of Graduate Medical Education at Skagit Regional Health was selected for a 2013-14 Health Policy Fellowship by the American Osteopathic Association. Dr. Rupert, who is GME director and oversees the Family Medicine residency program at Skagit Regional Health, will attend monthly seminars to prepare for leadership in developing health policy.
Need a doctor? Residency Clinic
A department of Skagit Valley Hospital
Resident physicians see patients as part of their ongoing training and are welcoming new patients.
Open 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. • Mon. – Fri. • 819 S. 13th St., Mount Vernon • 360-814-6230