Emiliana Fawley-Puello / Staff Writer
FIU is set to launch a new residency program for graduate medical students to treat veterans with physical and mental illnesses.
The new development, led by the university’s Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, is a primary care residency program within the Miami Veterans Affairs (VA) Healthcare System.
It is the first of its kind in the state of Florida.
“The reason for creating this program was the compelling need for the VA to develop physicians that would be more likely to stay and work with the Veterans,” said Dr. Robert Levine, associate dean of Graduate Medical Education at FIU.
The College of Medicine designed it to help veterans navigate medical problems they face after returning home, according to FIU Provost and Executive Vice President Kenneth G. Furton.
Common issues many veterans face post-deployment include addiction, chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Students are expected to treat cases involving heart and lung problems, as well as neurological issues, diabetes and hypertension.
The veterans will be treated at Jackson Memorial Hospital and the Miami VA facility, then admitted to different clinical teams which train residents in South Florida, including the FIU VA program team.
“Residents and medical students will take care of patients while working with faculty,” said Levine, who also works as a professor and physician of emergency medicine and critical care.
The residency is also open to the South Florida medical community. They will work alongside local and nationwide physicians and doctors, according to FIU News.
Levine says the unique program – set to begin July 1, 2022 – gives graduate students the opportunity to complete the residency required upon graduating medical school.
“Programs around the country have always been open to all doctors graduating from medical school,” says Levine.
The initiative is eligible to participate in the National Residency Matching program which matches graduates with appropriate residency programs across the country. Match Day for students will take place on March 18, 2022.
The three-year program admits only six residents each year.
Levine encourages medical residents worldwide to apply soon and continue their practice within the South Florida community.
“This program just started but we already have a handful of great students that have already applied,” said Levine.
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