In 2015, Kadlec welcomed its first class of residents to the Kadlec Family Medicine Residency Program. A founding principle of the program is its role in developing the next generation of family practice physicians. During the three-year residency, the physicians rotate through multiple settings that will prepare them for future careers. This includes pediatrics, labor and delivery, intensive care, emergency department and in recent years, a rotation centered on community health. All third-year residents spend four weeks in a free community clinic in the Tri-Cities called Grace Clinic, a community-supported free clinic providing medical, dental and mental health services to low income and uninsured residents.
Mark Brault, CEO of Grace Clinic, says it best. “For three years, the third year residents in the Kadlec Family Medicine Residency Program have all rotated through Grace Clinic. This has provided both an excellent experience for the residents, but has also expanded our capacity to see more patients.” Many of the Kadlec residents also choose to serve at Grace Clinic during an elective rotation, and also volunteer in their off hours.
“Being able to use my talents and skills to serve at Grace Clinic is always so rewarding,” says Josh Lum, M.D., a third-year resident. “I am always filled with joy after every shift. This is a great resource and service that we can provide to our community, and it is awesome to see our community come together to serve.”
Kadlec, through its community investment program, has been a vital partner to Grace Clinic since its inception in 2002, with ongoing financial support and frequent donations of needed equipment and supplies.
The goal of the community health rotation is for residents to become skilled in using available community resources to facilitate the prevention, evaluation and management of acute and chronic medical conditions commonly seen in the outpatient setting. It is work like this at Grace Clinic that gives these physicians the experience and compassion they will need to carry forward to the patients they serve in the decades to come.
