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Medical Association of Alabama boasts new program to boost physician recruitment

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MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WIAT) – A brand-new training program designed to combat Alabama's doctors shortage has been launched.

The Medical Association of the State of Alabama is now accepting applications for the Bridge Year Graduate Physician Program. Under the supervision of a licensed physician, these students can practice some forms of medicine until they can go to another residency program.

Dr. Amanda Williams, President of the Medical Association of the State of Alabama, said medical students who do not match into residency programs can apply for this one.

"This is a way to allow them additional experience, allow current physicians to have assistance caring for their patients, and will hopefully keep those physicians that we're training in medical school in our state," Dr. Williams said.

Tate Record is a first-year medical student at the University of Alabama at Birmingham who wants to practice family medicine. One part of achieving that dream is completing his residency with Christ Health Center, a ministry and family practice in Woodlawn.

"If I've learned anything from med school, it's 'don't make a concrete plan for your future', cause you don't know what to expect," Record said.

Some residencies are highly competitive, especially those in specialized care.

"I think increasingly more people are taking a year between medical school and residency to beef up their research or their clinical experience, so they can get the specialty they really want," Record said.

Dr. Jane Weida, a family physician in Tuscaloosa, can understand why there would be some concerns with the program. However, she assures the public that these medical students will provide the best care for their patients.

"These graduate physicians will be supervised 100% of the time by their supervising physician," Dr. Weida said.

Dr. Williams said interested medical students should reach out to the medical association for more information.


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