Rural Residency Planning and Development Program - Address: MaineGeneral Medical Center, 35 Medical Center Parkway, Augusta Maine 04330 Project Director Name: Dan Vick, MD Contact Phone Numbers (Voice, Fax): (207) 621-9305 Email Address: dan.vick@mainegeneral.org List all grant program funds requested in the application, if applicable: Rural Residency Planning and Development (RRPD) Program With funding from the U.S Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Rural Residency Planning and Development (RRPD) Program, MaineGeneral Medical Center will become the fifth sponsoring institution in Maine and develop and implement an ACGME-accredited General Surgery Residency Program. General surgery residencies in rural hospitals provide opportunities for students to perform a wide range of procedures, acquire critical thinking skills and develop a profound understanding of the community and their role in population health. An accredited general surgery residency program at MaineGeneral will improve the recruitment and retention of general surgeons in rural Maine, increase access to critical health care services for community members and expand MaineGeneral’s foundation for education. This project aims to achieve three specific goals: 1. Strengthen MGMC’s clinical and academic infrastructure to provide graduate medical education (GME) as a recognized sponsoring institution; 2. Establish an ACGME-accredited general surgery residency program at MGMC with permanent staff and formalized partnerships; and 3. Recruit a diverse pool of general surgery residents to the newly established program Annually, two general surgery residents will be recruited to the program. Resident competencies will be built through practice-based learning and interdisciplinary team training. The majority of clinical rotations (with the exception of trauma and pediatric surgery) will be completed at our two main sites, the Alfond Center for Health and Thayer Center for Health. The Alfond Center for Health is a 198-bed, state-of-the-art hospital in Augusta Maine. The Thayer Center for Health is the largest comprehensive outpatient center in the state and is located in Waterville Maine. MaineGeneral primarily serves residents of Maine’s Kennebec Valley region. Kennebec Valley is comprised of two rural counties, Kennebec and Somerset, as defined by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy. Our rural Maine community faces systemic barriers to accessing health care, such as workforce shortages that can be attributed to a rapidly aging population, lower salaries, and fewer amenities that large cities have to offer. These shortages coupled with the social, economic and environmental barriers our residents face, negatively impact the health of our community. General surgery is foundational to the comprehensive provision of health care for members of our community, now and in the future. With a mission to enhance, everyday, the health of our patients, our families and our communities, the establishment of an accredited General Surgery Residency Program at MaineGeneral aligns with our mission and strengthens our workforce, our economy and our culture of education. Eligible Entity/Facility Type: Rural Hospital Project Director Name & Contact Information: Dan Vick, MD. DHA, MBA, CPE., Chief Medical Officer, MaineGeneral Medical Center, 207-621-9305, dan.vick@mainegeneral.org Program Pathway: General Primary Care and High Need Specialty Pathway Residency Residency Specialty Area: General Surgery Residency Format: “New” Rural Track Program (ACGME RTP Type 2) Sponsoring Institution Organization & Location: MaineGeneral Medical Center, 35 Medical Center Parkway, Augusta, Maine 04330 Rural Target Area: Central Maine – Kennebec and Somerset County Funding Amount Requested: $750,000 Program Sustainability Option: Option 2 Rural Hospital Projected Total Number of Residents: 10 Expected ACGME Accreditation and Residency Matriculation Dates: July 2025 / October 2025 Funding Priority Points Requested: NA
