By Barry Friedman – November 15, 2021
Lakeland Regional Health’s quest to become a teaching hospital will soon become a reality with the first students expected to start on July 1, 2023, hospital CEO Danielle Drummond announced at today’s Lakeland City Commission meeting. The Graduate Medical Education program will build gradually and expects to reach its capacity of 190 residents five years after launching, Drummond said.
The program will help alleviate a shortage of health care providers in Polk County, said Drummond, who expressed hopes that the opportunity to work here will lead some of the students to practice here beyond their residency. In addition, Drummond said, citing an economic impact study conducted this year for LRH by The Washington Economics Group, Inc. (WEG), the program is expected to support 350 new jobs and have an economic impact of $48 million. Read full article.
