First physician completes part of residency at TRMC

TIFTON — A new face at Tift Regional Medical Center is hoped to be the first of many more like her. Dr. Navdeepa Chainani is the first physician to complete part of her residency program at TRMC, and officials at TRMC see this as the start of a new trend.

“We are part of numerous education programs, and have been for many years,” said Dr. William Guest, chief medical officer of ICU at TRMC. “But Dr. Chainani is our first official resident, and we couldn’t be happier.”

Hospital CEOs and physicians in the region have been working and continue to work to bring more medical residency programs to South Georgia. Numbers are showing there is an ever-growing shortage of new physicians who are available to practice medicine. And while state medical schools are increasing their enrollment numbers during the next few years, working to attract more current medical students to South Georgia will be crucial to meeting the shortage.

Studies show that approximately 60 percent of physicians end up practicing medicine within 75 miles of where they did their residency.

“When students can train in South Georgia, there is a better chance they will want to eventually set up practice here,” said Dr. Guest. “It creates a relationship with other staff members as well as with the community in general.”

Dr. Chainani is a third- year resident at the family medicine program of the Medical College of Georgia based at Satilla Regional Medical Center in Waycross. She has been completing the critical care portion of her program with Dr. Guest and Dr. Randall Lanier. Dr. William Smith taught and provided her hands on experience in sports medicine and orthopedics. She also completed pediatric training with Dr. Tibisay Villalobos and said the experience has confirmed her desire to move to Tifton.

“I do plan to practice medicine in Tifton when I am finished with my training,” she said. “The feedback I have gotten from the physicians here has been wonderful. The hospital’s reception for me and my husband has been great.”

Physician recruitment is also an expensive undertaking, Dr. Guest added. And the hospital would much prefer to spend more on education than on recruitment fees.

The only family medicine residency program in Southwest Georgia is at Pheobe Putney Memorial Hospital. The Medical College of Georgia is working as a consultant with the hospitals of Southwest Georgia to explore the possibility of more primary care residencies in the region and has recognized the quality of care and education at Tift Regional.

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