Nearly 100 new doctors welcomed in Greater Orlando area by HCA Florida Healthcare

Nearly 100 new doctors began residencies or fellowships this summer at HCA Florida Lake Monroe Hospital and HCA Florida Osceola Hospital. The residents are among more than 720 physicians being trained across the state in needed specialties like primary care, surgery, emergency medicine and cardiology through the University of Central Florida – HCA Florida Healthcare Graduate Medical Education (GME) Consortium.

“Our goal for our GME programs is, ultimately, increasing access to expert care for our patients throughout Florida,” said Cheryll Albold, Ph.D., vice president of graduate medical education for HCA Healthcare’s North Florida Division. “HCA Florida Healthcare’s strategic partnership with UCF’s College of Medicine is providing a pipeline that will directly benefit patients by continually training the best and brightest new doctors, many of whom will ultimately build their own practices right here in the Sunshine State.”

At HCA Florida Osceola Hospital, more than 70 new doctors have begun training across multiple specialties, including the first community-based reproductive endocrinology and infertility fellowship in the country.

“HCA Florida Osceola Hospital has a proud tradition of serving the community through excellence in resident medical education,” said Dr. Ross Taylor, chief medical officer at HCA Florida Osceola Hospital and an associate professor of orthopedic surgery at UCF. “This year’s resident class was selected not only for their strong academic performance as medical students, but for the integrity and compassion they will bring to the bedside as well. After training at HCA Florida Osceola Hospital, many of our finest residents remain in the HCA Florida Healthcare community, and continue to provide high quality patient care to our communities most in need. It is because of this that we are honored to be hosting the next generation of physician learners through our academic partnership with UCF.”

Doctors must first complete residencies after graduating from medical school before they can practice medicine. There are 35 residents undergoing training at HCA Florida Lake Monroe Hospital, including about 20 who began programs in July specializing in internal medicine, a new physical medicine and rehabilitation program, and a new transitional year program, which provides recent medical school graduates with a year of comprehensive clinical skills training before they go on to more specialized training.

“I chose HCA Florida Lake Monroe Hospital for my transitional year because I immediately connected to their team during the interview process,” said Flor Alcocer, M.D., an intern in the transitional year program at HCA Florida Lake Monroe Hospital. “It was clear to me that their leadership team is committed to building a solid program, and I knew I wanted to be a part of it.”

“I love interacting with people which is why one of the reasons I chose to become a physician,” said Yousef Hasanzadah, D.O., psychiatry resident at HCA Florida Osceola Hospital. “HCA Florida Osceola Hospital had all the components I was looking for and I could see myself developing long-lasting friendships with the team.”

The UCF-HCA Florida Healthcare GME Consortium is the fastest-growing graduate medical education program in the state, with 44 accredited programs across Florida.

“As the need for physicians grows in Florida, with an estimated physician shortage of 18,000 projected over the next decade, we are helping to meet those needs,” said Dr. Stephen Cico, UCF’s associate dean for graduate medical education and the UCF HCA Florida Healthcare GME Consortium’s designated institutional officer. “We are focused on medical specialties that are or are going to be in the highest demand.”

With 300+ residency and fellowship programs across the U.S., HCA Healthcare leads the nation in graduate medical education. To learn more about the UCF-HCA Florida Healthcare GME program, please visit the program information page. To learn more about HCA Florida Healthcare and find your nearest healthcare provider, visit the HCA Florida Healthcare website.