Upstate Medical University and Auburn Community Hospital have begun partnering to train community physicians with a new Rural Residency Training track.

The program aims to help battle the shortage of family doctors, which is most acutely felt in rural areas. It’s mission is to train the next generation of family medicine physicians who will not only provide exemplary care to patients but also foster a culture of academic inquiry, research and scholarship in a rural setting.

Two Upstate residents, Tassine Brown-Veira, MD, and Hafiz Haseeb, MD, started at Auburn Family Medicine in July. After spending one year at Upstate, they will work the next two years of their residency in Auburn. Two more residents will be added to the Auburn Family Medicine staff in July 2025.

“It’s more than just a residency program,” said Program Director R. Eugene Bailey, MD, FAAFP. “It’s a commitment to the future of rural health care. We are building what I would consider a healthier stronger community.”

Residents will experience a wealth of training and experiences in Family Medicine ranging from acute care to chronic disease management to child and maternal care. They will get involved with clinics to serve Auburn’s large immigrant population as well as working with addiction medicine to deal with opioid addiction prevalent there.

“The new program and clinic will increase access to primary care by addressing physician shortages and enhancing the quality of care by better understanding local healthcare needs,” said Jennifer Speicher, executive vice president and chief strategy officer at Auburn Community Hospital. “It can also improve physician retention, ensuring a stable supply of primary care providers, and lead to overall community health improvement through more effective preventive care and chronic disease management."

"Overall, this initiative is a promising step toward strengthening the healthcare infrastructure in the region and continues our mission to improve health equity and serve the health care needs of our community," Speicher said.

With an aging baby boom population—which includes those retiring from medicine—as well as expanded health care coverage for many Americans, more people are seeking out primary care. A 2022 report from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) predicts that there will be a primary care physician shortage up to 55,200 physicians by 2033.

Upstate’s family medicine residency program was one of 40 nationwide that launched in 2019. The program has 18 spots for residents.

Caption: Auburn Community Hospital.