How new resident physicians are addressing the need for doctors in the valley
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Doctors are always in need in the desert. It's no different at Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs.
At the end of June, 42 new resident physicians were welcomed to Desert Regional's Graduate Medical Education (GME) program.
Those new doctors are coming at a critical time.
"Is there a shortage of doctors that we're seeing?" we asked Dr. Rebecca Ward, the Chief of Pediatrics at Desert Regional Medical Center.
She replied, "Absolutely. There are definitely a big shortage of doctors, especially for the younger ages. We don't have enough pediatricians or family physicians in the area that can see children. We also don't have enough OB/GYN support also in the area."
Dr. Ward also outlined the unique scenario the valley is facing. Historically, there hasn't been a high volume of young families seeking care.
"Traditionally this has been a older community, so there hasn't been as much of a need until recently. And then we've also had a lot of pediatricians in the area recently retire in the last 2 to 3 years," she said.
Dr. Fouzhan Pejmanian is the Chief Resident Physician, overseeing many of her younger peers. She said the retiring pediatricians made the shortage more evident, and that the resident physician program is the most effective way to kill two birds with one stone.
"Residency programs are the best long term solutions to that shortage because they train next generation of physicians, and at the same time, they provide high quality care," Dr. Pejmanian explained.
According to SHAPE Riverside County, a collaborative public health initiative, 15% of people within Riverside County have experienced delays or difficulty finding medical care. That statistic places Riverside County in the top half of counties within California, but highlighted that it was also worsening over time.
We asked the doctors at Desert Regional if they were seeing any delay in care for its patients. Dr. Ward said no.
"Luckily, we're pretty good about getting people in," she said, but pointed out some patients could be hesitant to find a new doctor after their trusted physician retires or moves on. "I know sometimes it can be difficult when somebody loses the pediatrician they've been with for many years, and then being a little hesitant and trying to figure out where to go next."
"But I want to let people know out there that we definitely have availability here, and we're happy to see people of all ages," she continued.
As for the new residents who recently donned their white coats, like Dr. Chris Min, from Orange County, the goal is the same: "I am new, but I do feel like I'm already making progress and making changes. ... I want to learn why, I want to learn how, and I want to be able to contribute. And, just make life easier and better for patients."
The key, of course, is to retain the new residents who go through Desert Regional's three-year-long program. Program leaders said about a third of them stay in the Coachella Valley, while about half of them stay within the Southern California area.
