Medical exchange program benefits military, civilian community

  • Published
  • By Airman Jack Sanders
  • 3rd Wing Public Affairs
ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  The 3rd Medical Group's Family Practice clinic here and Providence Alaska Medical Center are working together to bring more hands-on training to medical residents.

The 3rd MDG began an exchange program with Providence to allow medical residents to come here and work alongside Air Force physicians.

The program's main goal is for residents to get more experience with patients. Residents are required to complete specific tasks, like splinting broken bones. These tasks are required to be signed off by doctors working with the residents.

"They are actual medical doctors that have already graduated from medical school," said Lt. Col. Marlene Kerchenski, 3rd Medical Operations Squadron director of group education and training, and consultant to the Air Force Surgeon General Education and Training. "The Airmen love working with the new doctors."

Currently, only Providence residents are coming to Elmendorf for training, but the goal is for Elmendorf's family practice residents to go to Providence for similar training, said Kerchenski. Providence and Elmendorf had a contract in years' past for residents, but because of complications stopped the program.

It was earlier this year that the program was brought back to Elmendorf.

"Family practice has it set up for residents to come in on Fridays, where our doctors have set aside certain procedures for them to learn and to do," said Colonel Kerchenski.

Residents will watch procedures several times before performing them under supervision.

"Generally speaking, we should have three residents per month," said Brenda Zempa, Providence Hospital program manager.

Residencies last for three years and the resident's professional level is determined by what year the resident is in.

"The residents are really excited about working at Elmendorf, because it's going to allow them to get some procedural experience that they're not able to get or get enough of in other locations," said Ms. Zempa.

Not all of Providence's residents come here for training. "They do rotation in private offices throughout Anchorage, several rotations at Alaska Native Medical Center and in rural locations like Bethel and Dillingham," said Ms. Zempa.

The program is centered on teaching the residents to work in rural locations. "For the military in general it's a great thing because it will expose the private sector to the Air Force system, which is good," said U.S. Army Reserve 1st Lt. (Dr.) Patrick Ballard, Providence family practice resident.