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A Message From the President
Billiken Briefs
Human Resources FYI
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Trivia Corner
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The School of Medicine is expanding its residency training program through joint sponsorship of a family practice residency with St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Belleville, Ill.
"We are very pleased to announce our sponsorship of the family practice residency program at St. Elizabeth's Hospital and look forward to working closely with our partners at St. Elizabeth's to provide a quality educational experience for the residents," said Patricia L. Monteleone, M.D., dean of the School of Medicine.
The training gives both Saint Louis University and St. Elizabeth's Hospital another resource for a community-based program. The joint venture was made possible after several months of planning.
"We're excited and look forward to a long-term relationship with Saint Louis University," said Joseph Prosser, M.D., medical director at St. Elizabeth's Hospital. "The sponsorship by Saint Louis University will serve to greatly enhance the residency program in Belleville."
The family practice residency program is a major shift for physician training from subspecialty care to primary care. "It shows our seriousness about training doctors for future demands," said Dr. Rodney M. Coe, professor and chairman of the department of community and family medicine. "The University is committing itself to this dimension of generalist practice, recognizing the needs of the community and allowing our post-doctoral students another option."
A family practice residency program requires three years of training. After becoming board certified, the physician will be able to provide comprehensive care to both children and adults. This concept of the family physician has become increasingly pertinent since up to 80 percent of patients' needs can be taken care of by a generalist.
"Our family physicians today are well trained," Coe said. "It is as demanding as any other specialty. And we anticipate a larger portion of our graduates will choose family practice."