Dr. Amanda Logue, Chief Medical Officer for Ochsner Lafayette General, joined Discover Lafayette to discuss Ochsner's new General Surgery Residency Program.

Accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), the surgical residency program received nearly 600 applications for three coveted spots. The 5-year surgery program is expected to grow, training a new class of three residents per academic year, wth the inaugural class beginning July 1, 2024. Ochsner is also pursuing accreditation of Internal Medicine, Emergency Medicine, and Transitional Year Programs.

On April 16, 2024, Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center, the region's only Level 2 Trauma Center, celebrated the launch of its new General Surgery Residency Program, which will begin July 1, 2024.

Located inside the new, recently constructed tower at Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center, the completed Graduate Medical Education space will be 17,115 square feet. Phase 1 includes eight resident sleep rooms, a resident lounge, classrooms, rounding rooms and lactation rooms. Phase 2 will house numerous simulation labs and additional classroom space.

Ziad Ashkar, MD, will serve as the Designated Institutional Official (DIO), ensuring the program meets the rigorous accreditation standards set by the ACGME. Dr. Dennis Eschete will serve as the Program Director for General Surgery. About 25 surgeons will be rotating, with the core group of teaching physicians being Dr. Willard Mosier, Ochsner Lafayette General's head of trauma, Dr. Jason Breaux, Dr. Michael Horaist and Dr. Racheed “Joe” Ghanami.

The new residency program is both a strategic response to the escalating physician shortage and a model for innovative care solutions leading to increased patient access. In a 2024 report, the Association of American Medical Colleges projected that physician demand will grow faster than supply, leading to a projected total shortage of up to 86,000 physicians by 2036. Moreover, Louisiana is projected to rank third nationally for a shortage of physicians by 2030, according to a Human Resources for Health analysis.

Speaking of the physician shortage being experience here and nationwide, Dr. Amanda Logue shared that 140,000 patients came through Ochsner University Clinics in 2023. "It's a huge volume, there's a huge need for more physicians."

Ochsner Lafayette General's new surgery residency program doesn't replace its ongoing partnership with LSU School of Medicine's at University Hospital & Cinics; it complements it. Dr. Logue stated, "The reality is there's a critical need for more physicians, which is why we started our own program in addition to the existing one. This program also signifies our deep commitment to advancing medical education and addressing the dire need for surgeons in our healthcare system." Importantly, data shows that most physicians practice within 70 miles of where they trained, so Ochsner hopes that Lafayette will be a compelling place for their residents to start their medical careers.

The goal of the program is not only to provide top-tier educational opportunities, such as training at the region's only Level 2 Trauma Center, but also to inspire innovation and compassion among the residents. The residents will learn to navigate the complexities of healthcare delivery with a patient-first approach, having the opportunity to take part in cutting-edge research and be at the forefront of developing new surgical techniques.

Ochsner Health is Louisiana's top healthcare educator of physicians. Annually Ochsner and its partners educate thousands of healthcare professionals. It currently offers 33 Acreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education programs, training over 330 residents and fellows each year.

Dr. Logue is board certified in both Internal Medicine and Clinical Informatics, having completed her undergraduate training at LSU in microbiology,