COMMUNITY INVITED TO A CELEBRATION
Match Day, March 15, is one of the most important days for graduating medical students. Across the country and the world, these residents learn where they will spend the next years to continue their training.
It's also an exciting time for our community since residency programs such as Adventist Health Ukiah Valley's Family Residency Program will find out the names of the six new physicians who will be coming to Mendocino County to learn and care for our community. It's a momentous occasion marked with lots of celebration as it means bringing in muchneeded physicians to our rural community. That's why the hospital invites the whole community for the big reveal at a Community Celebration on Friday, March 15, at noon, in the Glenn Miller Conference Room at 275 Hospital Drive in Ukiah.
The match results will be great news for Mendocino County, since studies show that physicians are more likely to practice medicine in the community where they complete their residency. There is a shortage of primary care physicians nationwide, most especially in rural areas such as ours. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, three out of five areas with shortages of health professionals are rural. By bringing residents to Mendocino County for specialized training, the residency program at Ukiah Valley aims to change the landscape of the local medical community for years to come.
The Family Medicine Residency Program officially launched in 2019, its beginnings a true community effort, with the hospital and a group of community leaders working together to raise funds over several years toward the development of the program.
“We're looking for a special kind of physician, those who will choose the challenges of a rural community and see them as opportunities. These residents are choosing to serve here and embracing those challenges. We know there are many residency programs out there but for them to choose us and want to be part of this community, that already speaks volumes about their dedication as a physician. That's why Match Day is a day of celebration not just for us, but for our entire community. It takes all of us to create a welcoming community that physicians would love to be part of to live and to practice medicine,” shares Judson Howe, president for Adventist Health North Coast Network.
“The Match Day celebration highlights the commitment of these physicians to serve our community and the commitment of our community to embrace and support them. Their presence enriches all of us and encourages us on our journey to provide accessible and quality healthcare for everyone,” adds Rod Grainger, chief executive officer for MCHC Health Centers.
“Welcoming our sixth cohort of resident physicians to Mendocino County is an important milestone in our efforts to grow the next generation of physicians. Our program is especially designed to prepare physicians for careers addressing the unique needs of patients in rural communities. Our resident physicians not only bring new energy and perspective as the next generation of physician leaders but also enable us to attract and retain innovative doctors who are on the forefront of new technologies and procedures, which benefit the communities we serve by
continually enhancing the quality of care we provide. We are also grateful for the current residents we have for choosing us and are now helping us care for patients both in the hospital and in our clinics,” shares Jodi Parungao, MD, director of the Family Medicine Residency Program.
The process for selecting residents involves a computerized ranking system called the Residency Match which will be revealed on March 15 during the celebration. This is the sixth cohort for the residency program. Some current residents will be staying in the community to practice once they graduate.
The hospital invites the community to the Match Day Celebration on Friday, March 15, at noon in the Glenn Miller Conference Room at Adventist Health Ukiah Valley. Refreshments and appetizers will be served.
For more information about the Family Medicine services at Adventist Health Ukiah Valley, visit: https://www.adventisthealth.org/ukiah-valley/services/family-medicine.