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A new class of 23 physician residents and four fellows was welcomed on June 25 with a White Coat Ceremony.

The year 2021 marked a new milestone in Valley Hospital’s history as a teaching hospital: its recent graduation ceremony commemorated the training of a cumulative 305 physicians since its graduate medical education program (GME) began in 2006.

"Almost 20 years ago, Valley Hospital’s administration laid the groundwork to establish this program and create a pipeline of primary care and specialty physicians to meet the growing need for healthcare in Southern Nevada," said C. Dean Milne, DO, who has been the Medical Director of the GME program since its inception. "It’s very rewarding to work with physicians who were part of our program and see their accomplishments firsthand over the past 15 years."

The 28 physicians who received their residency diplomas spent anywhere from three to six years at Valley Hospital during their residencies and fellowships. Among the most powerful aspect of their training was caring for patients during the pandemic, whether they were hospitalized or received outpatient care in the physicians’ offices. "The learning curve was short and intense," said Dr. Milne. "It’s an experience that shaped their training and will impact their view of medicine and infectious diseases for the rest of their careers."

Throughout its 15-year tenure, the faculty of the Valley Hospital GME program has focused on providing medical experiences that would prepare new physicians as they join local private practices, establish their own businesses, join a hospitalist group, or continue their training in a medical specialty or through military service.

"It’s very gratifying to see physicians who did their residency with us now working as primary care providers, intensivists in our hospital ICUs and specialists performing surgeries and procedures in our Valley Health System acute care hospitals," said Claude Wise, CEO of Valley Hospital. "Whatever path they choose professionally, I believe their reputation and training is a direct reflection of the faculty, leadership and programming we offer."

Key achievements of the graduating class include:

• 12 of 20 primary care (family/internal medicine) physicians have joined private practices or will be working as hospitalists in Las Vegas. Two others have been accepted to Valley Hospital’s pulmonary/critical care and gastroenterology Fellowship programs.
• All gastroenterology and pulmonary/critical care Fellows passed their board certifications.
• The neurology program continues to have a 100 percent board certification passing rate since its inception.

Welcoming a New Class

On June 25, 2021, Valley Hospital welcomed a new class of 23 physician residents and four fellows with a traditional White Coat Ceremony. The White Coat Ceremony is considered a rite of passage in the journey toward becoming a physician. It marks the transition from the study of pre-clinical health sciences to clinical service, and the long white coats of a physician are officially presented. The long white coat is the symbol of physician clinical service.

Valley Hospital offers residency programs in Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Neurology and Orthopedic Surgery, along with Fellowships in Gastroenterology and Pulmonary/Critical Care Medicine.