Has your fourth-year of medical students arrived? The next thing you know it will be Match Day. I would like to reassure you that there is a program out there just for you. However, identifying which program is the challenge. Good news, you get to choose from any place in the United States to spend the next 3 years of your life. You have the option to be near family or away from them, to be a part of a larger program or a smaller one, community focused or research based. The list goes on and on.
We are proud of our rural roots and believe you can find gems within smaller community training programs. My motto is "Make today Matter". Our attendings pride themselves not on our past accomplishments but only on the future potential that we see in every resident we are fortunate to work with. We are small enough to make a big impact in the Blue Ridge Mountains and beyond.
Why am I here? This is where I was born. Where I played college football and baseball, and I trained in a rural setting. This is home. As program director, my goal is to advocate for our residents and attendings to have a top-quality training experience in an environment that is dynamic and supports growth. We focus on training those that have a passion for community, compassion, and some health competitiveness.
You will experience may different practice settings and learn how to maneuver multiple EMR during your training process. The foundation of our program is to provide you with the highest quality clinical training through leadership opportunities, career development emphasis, and collaboration with a variety of different specialties.
We look forward to working with you in the future.
Abraham B. Hardee III, DO/PhD
Program Director