It's hard to imagine running out of doctors to care for you and your family. In Georgia, and across the nation though, that is the reality. Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) continues to answer the call to address the physician shortage every spring when new residents are announced on National Match Day.

On Friday, NGMC faculty and staff learned who their newest class of 20 Internal Medicine and six General Surgery residents are, along with the first class of 12 Family Medicine residents - Family Medicine being a specialty that is in high need across our state and region. This talented and bright group will begin practicing with the health system on July 1, joining the 26 Internal Medicine and General Surgery residents already working in the hospital and area clinics. NGMC welcomes:

Internal Medicine Residents – Medical School and Home State/Country

Olusyei Abidoye, MD, University of Lagos, Texas

Comfort Adewunmi, MD, Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, Maryland

Hadia Ahmad, MD, Morehouse School of Medicine, Georgia

Mariam Anwar, MD, Liaquat National Medical College, Georgia

Abdullah Asreb, MD, University of Sharjah, Abu Dhabi

Christopher Chew, MD, American University of the Caribbean, West Virginia

Rosemary Chofor, MD, University of Health and Sciences, Georgia

Loida Del Rio Lopez, MD, San Juan Bautista School of Medicine, Puerto Rico

Celine Fadel, DO, Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, Virginia

Paige Gwynn, DO, Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, Virginia

Aqsa Iqbal, MD, Liquat University of Medical and Health Science, Pakistan

Nathaniel Kim, MD, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indiana

Henry Ogbuagu, MD, American University of Antigua College of Medicine, California

Sahil Parag, DO, West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine, Florida

Tyler Sadka, DO, Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, Maryland

Cesar Sanchez, MD, Ross University School of Medicine, Florida

Christine Sykalo, DO, Western University of Health Science College of Osteopathic Medicine for the Pacific, Washington

Paul Takla, MD, American University of the Caribbean, New York

Nikhilesh Thapa, DO, Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Iowa

Jifeng Wang, MD, American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, Florida

General Surgery Residents – Medical School and Home State/Country

Ryan Anderson, MD, Ross University School of Medicine, Colorado

Tyler Harvell, MD, University of South Alabama College of Medicine, Alabama

Mena Louis Pbawy, DO, New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, California

Alec J. Seaton, MD, Medical College of Georgia, Georgia

Molly Marie McNamee, MD, St. George’s University School of Medicine, Michigan

Dylan Parker Schwindt, MD, University of Missouri-Kansas School of Medicine, Missouri

Family Medicine Residents – Medical School and Home State/Country

Christian Albarus, MD, St. George’s University School of Medicine, Germany

Maria Angel, MD, International American University College of Medicine, Georgia

Sergio Angel, MD, International American University College of Medicine, Texas

Brittany Barthelemy, DO, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Texas

Maria Baumgartner, MD, St. George’s University School of Medicine, Florida

Samantha Grant, MBBS, University of the West Indies Faculty of Medical Sciences, California

Adrianna S. Kordek, MD, American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, Pennsylvania

Muhareb "Mike" Mustafa, MD, Ross University School of Medicine, Illinois

Abdullah Panchbhaya, MD, Ross University School of Medicine, Canada

Macy Phillips Tabb, DO, Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, Georgia

Victoria M. Timmermans, MD, University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Canada

Celeste M. Vickery, DO, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Florida

In the months leading up to Match Day, medical students participating in the National Resident Matching Program apply to residency programs and interview at hospitals across the nation. After those interviews, residency programs rank the students - and students rank the programs. Both rank lists are plugged into a national database which crunches the numbers to determine which of the students match with NGMC. Those results are released on Match Day.

"I'm beyond thrilled to welcome this group of rock stars to Gainesville," says Family Medicine Residency Program Director Monica Newton, DO, MPH. "As a life-long learner myself, we've worked hard to create a program that attracted residents who possess a growth mindset and a passion for excellence. These residents will help fulfill our vision for Family Medicine physicians to care for your entire family, covering the full scope of inpatient, outpatient, pediatrics and family-centered maternity care."

Resident physicians are licensed doctors training in a specialty. They train for three to 10 years after medical school, providing patient care and performing procedures under appropriate supervision. They can write orders and prescribe medication. Residents also have educational, testing and evaluation requirements. Their training is overseen by Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.

"Studies by the Georgia Physician Workforce Commission have determined the specialties that are in greatest need, with Family Medicine at the top of the list. Adding 12 Family Medicine resident physicians to our system is a great way to bring immediate support and expand care to our community," says John E. Delzell, Jr., MD, MSPH, Vice President of Medical Education for Northeast Georgia Health System and Designated Institutional Official for NGMC. "Our residents will work with our faculty, hospital and clinic staff in numerous ways. We look forward to welcoming all our new resident physicians to the local community and introducing them to patients."

NGMC is working to expand to more than 200 residents across six specialties - internal medicine, family medicine, general surgery, OB/GYN, psychiatry, and emergency medicine - by 2023. That will make NGMC one of the largest graduate medical education programs in the state. The idea is to train the physician leaders of tomorrow right here in Hall County, so that they will stay to practice in this region and the state.

Research conducted by the University of Georgia's Carl Vinson Institute of Government found NGMC's residency programs will also have a tremendous impact on Hall County's economy - with a projected economic output of $66 million from 2019 to 2023, with an additional $18 million local economic impact for each year after. Similarly, the program will generate more than 90 incremental community jobs in 2019, rising to as many as 300 jobs by 2023.