The Internal Medicine Residency Program is an unopposed community-based program allowing for ample teaching and hands-on experience without competition from other residents.

As a program, our mission is two-fold. We aim to positively impact the physician shortage in Georgia and to improve access to healthcare for the communities we serve, especially those in the rural areas and underserved populations. We strive to improve the health of adults in Georgia by training and graduating caring, compassionate, and competent physicians who will provide the highest level of medical care for their patients. As our residents care for patients from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds, we provide clinical learning experiences which expose our residents to the environments and communities of the patients they serve.

So why choose us?

• We offer a unique and dynamic learning environment for residents with a curriculum tailored to their individual passions and interests
• We provide quality and excellence in patient care and teaching
• We provide state-of-the-art hospital facilities including a Resident Ambulatory Practice staffed by AU/UGA Medical Partnership faculty
• We provide the latest advanced technology
• We have dedicated inpatient teaching faculty including Hospitalists, Neurohospitalists, and Intensivists
• We recognize residents as a part of the hospital team
• We provide a rural inpatient healthcare experience for resident physicians.
• We offer diversity in our training opportunities including inpatient cardiology, ICU, and neurology months, as well as ambulatory rotations in geriatrics, endocrinology, rheumatology, adolescent health, primary care, and much more!

Our Graduates

Of our graduates, some have pursued fellowship training including Endocrinology, Pulmonary Critical Care, Sports Medicine, Hematology / Oncology, and Cardiology. Most have chosen to enter into general medicine careers as primary care physicians or hospitalists, or a combination of the two. While we are always excited to have our residents stay and serve the communities of Georgia, our residents have been competitive for positions across the nation after graduation. We are very proud of our graduates and the careers they have chosen.

Program Leadership

The Internal Medicine Residency Program is led by Dr. Lela Ward. Together, the residency leaders ensure that residents receive the training and mentorship they need to become successful in their clinical and academic pursuits.